A Northern Nevada internet service provider owner has been indicted on federal charges alleging he embezzled more than $7.8 million from a federally funded broadband expansion project near Lovelock, according to KRNV-TV.
Prosecutors say Stephen Kromer, owner of Uprise LLC, diverted money from a $27 million USDA ReConnect grant intended to bring high-speed internet to rural communities. The indictment alleges he transferred project funds to personal accounts, falsified records, and converted more than $6.2 million into cryptocurrency.
Kromer faces 16 federal charges, including theft of government funds, money laundering, and submitting false documents. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on June 24. The FBI and USDA Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
Identity theft is the “foundational” fraud upon which many other crimes are built. It involves the unauthorized acquisition and use of a person’s personal identifying information (PII), such as an ID number, Social Security number, or passport details.
- How it works: Fraudsters obtain PII through data breaches, mail theft, or “social engineering” (tricking people into revealing details). Once they have this data, they can open new bank accounts, apply for credit cards or loans, and even receive medical treatment under your name.
- Synthetic Identity Fraud: A sophisticated variation where criminals combine real and fabricated information to create a completely new, “synthetic” person. This is particularly difficult to detect because there is no single victim to report the suspicious activity initially.