TDS Telecom comments on sentencing of former employee for wire fraud
Earlier today, federal Judge Lisa Wood sentenced former TDS Telecom employee, James Hosea, to 52 months in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and full restitution for engaging in a scheme to defraud TDS of $1.2 million.
Today’s sentencing follows the Nov. 6, 2014 grand jury indictment of Hosea. Following the indictment by the U.S Department of Justice, Southern District of Georgia, Brunswick Division, Hosea pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
The following statements can be attributed to Andrew (Drew) Petersen, vice president of External Affairs and Communications at TDS Telecom:
“We are pleased with the sentence handed down to Mr. Hosea today. TDS has zero tolerance for fraud or theft by employees. Any suspicious activity is immediately investigated and turned over to appropriate law enforcement authorities for rigorous analysis and, in this case, prosecution. We have a strict code of business ethics and expect every one of our employees to follow high standards of integrity and moral conduct.
“In regard to Mr. Hosea, TDS uncovered his scheme to defraud the company in the fall of 2014. He created false invoices, from a fictitious vendor, which caused TDS to make payments to an account controlled by Hosea. Following a thorough internal review, TDS immediately retained outside legal counsel and referred the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Atlanta Division, Brunswick Resident Agency.”
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