Issa Asad has been sentenced to prison for his role in the ‘Obama-phone’ scheme in which he defrauded government programs – costing American taxpayers about $100 million
The 51-year-old CEO of Q Link Wireless, which is a Florida-based telecommunications company providing services as part of those free “Obama Phones” was sentenced to 5 years in prison.
The fraud involved two main schemes from 2020 to 2021
Q Link, under Asad’s direction, submitted false reimbursement claims to the FCC, kept money that wasn’t meant for him, provided misleading customer information, and lied to the FCC about compliance.
Tactics included making up cellphone activity, using coercive automated scripts to threaten benefit cancellation and force customer engagement, and submitting false records during FCC investigations to hide the fraud.
Asad admitted to diverting over $50 million in Lifeline funds to bank accounts controlled by him and his family in Jordan.
This caused a $100 million loss to the FCC.
He also lied to get PPP Loans during c*vid then used hundreds of thousands of PPP money on cars, jewelry, personal credit card bills, and property taxes.
Asad and Q Link pleaded guilty back in October of 2024, to charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, stealing government money, defrauding the United States, and money laundering.
In his recent sentenced, Asad was also ordered to pay $1 billion in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
The phones have cost American taxpayers $12.5 Billion over the last four years
