A federal judge in South Dakota fined a Texas company a total of $4.6 million for defrauding the federal government and several schools on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

NextiraOne pleaded guilty to fraud under the government's E-Rate program. The company inflated equipment prices, submitted fraudulent invoices and failed to provide services to the Oglala Nation Educational Coalition, prosecutors said.

The E-Rate program is meant to help technologically disadvantaged schools.

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Company charged with defrauding Indian schools (AP 4/21)

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