FCC Chairman Wheeler Announces Universal Service Fund Strike Force

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler announced the creation of a Universal Service Fund (USF) Strike Force -- housed in the agency’s Enforcement Bureau -- dedicated to combatting waste, fraud, and abuse in Commission funding programs.

The USF Strike Force will be led by Loyaan Egal, who joins the FCC after serving as a senior Assistant United States Attorney in the Fraud and Public Corruption Section of the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

The USF Strike Force -- which boosts the Bureau’s existing enforcement operations -- will focus on safeguarding the Universal Service Fund and the other funding programs the FCC oversees. The Strike Force will investigate violations of the Communications Act, the Commission’s rules, and other laws bearing on USF programs and contributions. In addition to leading the FCC’s enforcement activities in these areas, the Strike Force will coordinate with the FCC’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), the US Department of Justice, and other law enforcement agencies to prosecute unlawful conduct.

The Strike Force’s investigations and activities will promote future compliance, protect those who depend on the funds for access, and safeguard contributors to the funds from the unlawful acts of others.