School consultant pleads guilty in E-Rate and ECF kickback case

Richard Bernstein pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to defraud the United States over an agreement to steer schools to vendors while receiving undisclosed shares of vendor profits. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Bernstein’s companies received more than $100,000 in kickbacks through the E-Rate and Emergency Connectivity Fund programmes.

Bernstein agreed to forfeit $137,576.64 and faces up to five years’ imprisonment at sentencing. The case involved school equipment purchases funded through programmes administered by USAC and overseen by the FCC; the source does not report a separate conviction or settlement.