Full Breakdown
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to $741,000 Fraud in Federal Broadband Subsidy Program
6/5/2026, 5:48:04 AM
Fraudulent Scheme and Guilty Plea
On June 4 2026, Krandon Wenger, a 25-year-old resident of Lititz in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of wire fraud for defrauding the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Wenger, through his company K20 Wireless, submitted false subscriber information that listed tribal addresses for households that did not reside on tribal lands. The false claims involved misrepresenting the tribal status of subscriber addresses. Because the ACP reimburses providers at $75 per month for tribal households versus $30 for non-tribal households, the false claims caused the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to overpay K20 Wireless by $741,726. Wenger faces up to 20 years in prison on each count, with sentencing scheduled for September 28 2026.
Program Background and Funding Structure
The ACP was created to subsidize broadband service for low-income households during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility required households to meet income thresholds, and tribal status qualified for the higher reimbursement tier. Under the program, eligible providers received a monthly reimbursement of $30 per household, increasing to $75 for households located on federally recognized tribal lands. Funding for the ACP was exhausted, leading to the program’s expiration on June 1 2024. The scheme’s design, which differentiates reimbursement rates by tribal status, was exploited by Wenger’s false address submissions.
Timeline of the Fraud and Legal Action
- April 2022 – K20 Wireless began enrolling subscribers in the ACP.
- 2022 – The FCC and the program’s successor initiatives banned Wenger and K20 Wireless from participation after detecting irregularities.
- June 4 2026 – Wenger entered a guilty plea to two wire-fraud counts.
- September 28 2026 – Scheduled sentencing hearing.
Key Actors and Agency Involvement
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with assistance from the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis A. Weber of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania served as the prosecuting attorney. The FCC, as the program’s administering agency, identified the overpayment and coordinated with law-enforcement partners to pursue the case.
Impact on Subsidy Integrity
Wenger’s case illustrates how inaccurate address data can generate substantial overpayments in subsidy programs that differentiate reimbursement rates. The involvement of both the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau and the FBI underscores the federal government’s capacity to detect and address fraud within the ACP framework. The total overpayment was $741,726.
Future Proceedings
Wenger’s sentencing on September 28 2026 will determine the length of his imprisonment and any additional penalties. The court set September 28 2026 as the sentencing date.
