Notice2025-22832
Notice Debarment; Federal Lifeline Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
December 15, 2025
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
The Enforcement Bureau (the "Bureau") permanently debars Q Link from the federal Lifeline program (Lifeline Program) and all federal universal service support mechanisms.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 238 (Monday, December 15, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 238 (Monday, December 15, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58011-58013]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-22832]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[DA 25-1009; FR ID 322148]
Notice Debarment; Federal Lifeline Program
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Enforcement Bureau (the ``Bureau'') permanently debars Q
Link from the federal Lifeline program (Lifeline Program) and all
federal universal service support mechanisms.
DATES: Debarment commences on the date Q Link receives the debarment
letter or December 15, 2025, whichever date comes first.
ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, Enforcement Bureau,
Investigations and Hearings Division, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC
20554.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christopher Sova, Federal
Communications Commission, Enforcement Bureau, Investigations and
Hearings Division, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. Christopher
Sova may be contacted by phone at (202) 418-1868 or by email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2e6d465c475d5a415e464b5c007d41584f6e484d4d00494158"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="65260d170c16110a150d00174b360a1304250306064b020a13">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Bureau debars Q Link from the federal
[[Page 58012]]
Lifeline Program and all federal universal service support mechanisms
pursuant to 47 CFR 54.8. Attached is the debarment letter, DA 25-1009,
which was mailed to Q Link and released on December 15, 2025. The
complete text of the notice of debarment is available on the FCC's
website at <a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-1009A1.pdf">https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-1009A1.pdf</a>.
Federal Communications Commission.
Christopher Sova,
Chief, Investigations and Hearings Division, Enforcement Bureau.
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN15DE25.012
December 5, 2025
DA 25-1009
SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL, RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
Mr. Issa Asad Owner, Quadrant Holdings Group LLC (for Q Link Wireless,
LLC) 499 E Sheridan St., Ste 400 Dania, FL 33004
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ef869c9c8eaf9e9a8e8b9d8e819b8780838b8681889cc18c8082"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cfa6bcbcae8fbebaaeabbdaea1bba7a0a3aba6a1a8bce1aca0a2">[email protected]</span></a>
Samuel L. Feder, Esq. Jenner & Block LLP 1099 New York Avenue NW Suite
900 Washington, DC 20001 <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#491a0f2c2d2c3b09232c27272c3b672a2624"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="421104272627300228272c2c27306c212d2f">[email protected]</span></a>
Re: Notice of Debarment, File No. EB-IHD-24-00037461
Dear Messrs. Asad and Feder:
The Enforcement Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal Communications
Commission (Commission or FCC) hereby notifies Q Link Wireless, LLC (Q
Link or Company) that, pursuant to Section 54.8 of the Commission's
rules, Q Link is prohibited from participating in activities associated
with or related to the federal Lifeline program (Lifeline program) and
any other program funded by federal universal service support
mechanisms commencing on either the date of Q Link's receipt of this
Notice of Debarment or of its publication in the Federal Register,
whichever comes first (Debarment Date).\1\ Furthermore, as a condition
of the administrative settlement between the FCC and Mr. Asad, Q Link
Wireless LLC (Q Link) and Q Link's parent company, Quadrant Holdings
Group, LLC, (Quadrant) which was entered into on January 17, 2025
(Administrative Settlement),\2\ Mr. Asad and Q Link ceased
participating in any program administered by the FCC (in addition to
the universal service programs) and agreed to debarment from
participation in all such programs in the future.\3\
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\1\ 47 CFR 54.8 (e), (g); 47 CFR 0.111 (delegating to the Bureau
authority to resolve universal service suspension and debarment
proceedings). In 2007, the Commission extended the debarment rules
to apply to all federal universal service support mechanisms,
including the Lifeline program. See Comprehensive Review of the
Universal Service Fund Management, Administration, & Oversight,
Report and Order, 22 FCC Rcd 16372, 16410-12 (2007) (Program
Management Order) (renumbering Section 54.521 of the universal
service debarment rules as Section 54.8 and amending subsections
(a)(1), (a)(5), (c), (d), (e)(2)(i), (e)(3), (e)(4), and (g)).
\2\ Settlement Agreement, Federal Communications Commission, Q
Link Wireless LLC, Issa Asad, and Quadrant Holdings Group LLC (Jan.
17, 2025) (on file in EB-IHD-24-00037461) (Administrative
Settlement).
\3\ See United States v. Q Link Wireless LLC, Criminal Docket
No. 1:24-cr-20363-RAR, Issa Asad's Sentencing Memo, at 1 (S.D. Fla.,
filed Jul. 17, 2025) (referencing Asad and Q Link's agreement in the
Administrative Settlement to cease being federal telecommunication
providers).
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On November 8, 2024, the Bureau sent Q Link a notice of suspension
and initiation of debarment proceeding (Notice of Suspension) that was
published in the Federal Register on December 12, 2024.\4\ The Notice
of Suspension suspended Q Link from participating in or receiving any
benefit associated with the Lifeline program as well as any other
program funded by federal universal service support mechanisms.\5\ It
also described the basis for initiating the debarment proceeding
against Q Link, the applicable debarment procedures, and the effect of
debarment.\6\
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\4\ Letter from Christopher J. Sova, Chief, Investigations and
Hearings Division, FCC Enforcement Bureau, to Issa Asad, Chief
Executive Officer, Q Link Wireless LLC, Notice of Suspension and
Initiation of Debarment Proceeding, 89 FR 100487 (Dec. 12, 2024).
\5\ Id.
\6\ Id.
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As discussed in the Notice of Suspension, on October 15, 2024, Q
Link, in connection with fraudulent claims against the Lifeline
program, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit offenses
against the United States, specifically, a violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343
(wire fraud), a violation of 18 U.S.C. 641 (theft of government funds),
and defrauding the United States, all in violation of 18 U.S.C. 371.\7\
Between 2013 and 2019, Q Link received $618,736,494 from the Lifeline
program.\8\ At least 21 percent of Q Link's payments during this period
were due to its fraudulent scheme.\9\ Pursuant to Section 54.8(c) of
the Commission's rules, Q Link's conviction of criminal conduct in
connection with the Lifeline program is the basis for this
debarment.\10\
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\7\ Any further reference in this letter to ``conviction''
refers to Q Link's guilty plea agreement and factual proffer in
United States v. Q Link Wireless LLC, Criminal Docket No. 1:24-cr-
20363-RAR, Plea Agreement (S.D. Fla., filed Oct. 15, 2024). See also
Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization, WC Docket No. 11-42,
CC Docket No. 96-45, WC Docket No. 03-109, Report and Order and
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 27 FCC Rcd 6656 (2012).
\8\ United States v. Q Link Wireless LLC, Criminal Docket No.
1:24-cr-20363-RAR, Factual Proffer, at 6 (S.D. Fla., filed Oct. 15,
2024).
\9\ Id.
\10\ 47 CFR 54.8(c).
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Furthermore, on January 17, 2025, Q Link entered into the
Administrative Settlement, paragraph 15 of which provides as follows:
Q Link and Mr. Asad warrant that consistent with the Suspension
Notices and the Commission's suspension rules (47 CFR 54.8), Q Link and
Mr. Asad have ceased participation in any program administered by the
FCC, and the Companies agree that Q Link and Mr. Asad will not
participate in any such programs administered by the Commission in the
future. Consistent with this representation, Q Link and Mr. Asad agree
not to contest their suspensions and proposed debarments under the
Suspension Notices and agree to waive all rights under the Commission's
Rules to challenge the suspensions and proposed debarments. The
Companies also warrant that upon execution of this Agreement, Quadrant,
and all other related companies, affiliates or subsidiaries, and any
other company in which Mr. Asad has a controlling ownership interest
will have ceased participating in any program administered by the FCC
(including the receipt of any benefit associated with any such
programs) and will not participate in such any programs administered by
the FCC in the future.\11\
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\11\ Administrative Settlement at 13-14, para 15.
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[[Page 58013]]
In accordance with the Commission's debarment rules, Q Link was
required to file with the Commission any opposition to the suspension
or its scope, or to the proposed debarment or its scope, no later than
30 calendar days from either the date of Q Link's receipt of the Notice
of Suspension or of its publication in the Federal Register, whichever
date occurred first.\12\ The Commission received no opposition from Q
Link, and in fact Q Link agreed in the Administrative Settlement not to
contest the suspension or debarment.\13\
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\12\ 47 CFR 54.8 (e)(3)-(4). Any opposition had to be filed no
later than January 13, 2025.
\13\ See Administrative Settlement at 13-14, para 15.
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For the above reasons, Q Link is debarred from involvement with the
Lifeline program and any other program funded by federal universal
service support mechanisms, as well as any other program administered
by the FCC, as of the Debarment Date.\14\ Q Link is excluded from
participating in any activities associated with or related to the
Lifeline program and any other program funded by federal universal
service support mechanisms, as well as any other program administered
by the FCC, including the receipt of funds or discounted services
through the Lifeline program or any other program administered by the
FCC, or consulting with, assisting, or advising applicants or service
providers regarding any such programs.\15\ After review of the record
(including the terms of the Administrative Settlement) and due to the
egregious nature of these fraudulent activities that led to Q Link's
criminal conviction, the Commission has determined that this debarment
will be permanent.
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\14\ 47 CFR 54.8(g). Pursuant to the Administrative Settlement,
as noted, Q Link voluntarily agreed to be debarred permanently from
involvement in any program administered by the FCC. Administrative
Settlement at 13-14, para 15.
\15\ 47 CFR 54.8(a)(1), (d), (g).
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Sincerely yours,
Christopher J. Sova,
Chief, Investigations and Hearings Division Enforcement Bureau.
cc: Fred Theobald, Universal Service Administrative Company (via
email)
Matthew Menchel, Esq., Kobre & Kim LLP (via email)
Michael Sherwin, Esq., Kobre & Kim LLP (via email)
Evelyn Sheehan, Esq., Kobre & Kim LLP (via email)
Michele Ellison, Deputy General Counsel, FCC
Karen Onyeije, Deputy General Counsel, FCC
[FR Doc. 2025-22832 Filed 12-12-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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