January 12, 2005
Inter-Tel Technologies has agreed to pay $8.7 million and to plead guilty to wire fraud and antitrust charges. The charges filed by the Justice Department alleged that Inter-Tel submitted rigged bids, inflated prices and provided false documents relating to government-sponsored E-Rate projects in Michigan and California.
The E-Rate program provides funding for schools and libraries to connect to and utilize the Internet.
The Arizona Republic ran the story on January 6, 2005.