Dania Beach-based Q Link Wireless LLC and its owner, Issa Asad, have agreed to pay a hefty sum of over $110 million in a global resolution, stemming from allegations of false claims and criminal charges related to abuse of the federal Lifeline Program. The settlement, which was detailed in a Justice Department press release, aims to rectify actions by Q Link that, according to the government, involved knowingly submitting fraudulent claims for inactive Lifeline customers.
As part of this resolution, Q Link and Asad have pleaded guilty to several charges, including wire fraud and theft of government funds, as a result from conduct that led to receiving around $38.4 million in improper payments between February 2018 and October 2019. This included, as the Justice Department alleges, generating fake cellphone activity for customers who did not actively use their phones. This deceit was supposedly furthered by Q Link providing fabricated records to the FCC, going as far to show activity for phones that were not even in the customer’s possession at the time. Asad also pled guilty to money laundering related to separate conduct.
The gravity of the situation is underscored by the words of Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate, who stated, “The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and claim federal funds to which they are not entitled.” Meanwhile, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding taxpayer dollars and maintaining the integrity of federal programs, as noted by the same press release…