January 2020

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Federal Communications Commission alerted Lifeline carriers, beneficiaries, and the public to the potential for widespread carrier non-compliance with the Lifeline usage rule. The Advisory provides examples of usage rule violations the OIG has encountered in its ongoing investigations of Lifeline carriers, including reimbursements sought for subscriber accounts that have never had any qualifying usage.

Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division announced the appointment of Alexander Okuliar to serve as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General. He will be responsible for civil merger and conduct investigations and litigation. Alex’s 20-year career has taken him through tours at both federal antitrust agencies and the private sector.