An Austin video relay service business owner was charged with others in a federal conspiracy case, according to Federal Communications Commission criminal division Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer.
Austin-based Mascom LLC owner Kim Hawkins, 46, who also owns Phoenix-based KL Communications and Nevada-based Master Communications plead guilty last week. Her partner in KL and Master Communications employee Larry Berke, 62, was also named in the case, along with Alfia Iskandarova of Deaf and Hearing Interpreting Services Inc. and Robert Z. Rubeck.
The four are charged with engaging in conspiracies to defraud the Federal Communications Commission's Video Relay Service program, according to a press release March 5. Hawkins, Berke, Iskandarova and Rubeck along with 22 other people and one company were charged with organizing schemes to steal money from the commission.
The four defendants admitted to paying individuals to make fraudulent video relay calls, which were billed to the commission. But the parties are innocent until proven guilty in court. The federal department reimburses providers, such as the ones in this case, $6.50 per minute to provide call services to the hearing impaired.
Hawkins, Berke and Iskandarova admitted to fraudulently charging between $2.5 million and $7 million. Rubeck said he played a role in about $1 million to $2.5 million in false charges.
At sentencing, the defendants face a maximum 20 years in prison, $250,000 fine and mandatory restitution and forfeiture. Sentencing is scheduled on June 28.
Others involved in the case include: KL Communications employees Lisa Goetz and Dary Berke; Mascom LLC employee David Simmons; Deaf and Hearing Interpreting Services Inc. co-owners Joshua Finkle and Irma Azrelyant; DHIS bookkeeper and employees Oksana Strusa, Natan Zfati and Hennadii Holovkin; Maryland-based Viable Communications Inc. consultant Benjamin Pena; and Tamara Frankel, an employee of Pena.
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