STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER GEOFFREY STARKS
Re:  	In the Matter of Thomas Dorsher; ChariTel Inc; OnTel Inc; ScammerBlaster Inc, Forfeiture Order
	Last July, when we considered this matter at the NAL stage, I called Thomas Dorsher and his companies’ conduct “particularly striking.”  Even against the backdrop of the cases we’ve considered in the intervening year – including our $300 million forfeiture order against auto warranty scammers – Dorsher’s conduct still stands out.  
	So it bears repeating: in less than three months, Dorsher placed more than nine and a half million robocalls to toll free numbers.  Dorsher made money off each and every one of these calls, through an access stimulation agreement at the expense of toll free subscribers.  And then he used that money to fund telephone denial of service attacks – attacks that disable telephone networks, and can disrupt critical emergency services. 
Dorsher’s claim that he was actually trying to “shut down scammers” is meritless in the face of these facts.  I commend the Enforcement Bureau for their work in revealing those facts.  It also bears mention that this matter was brought to the attention of the Bureau by the Industry Traceback Group.  As I have said repeatedly, there are numerous hurdles to finding these bad actors, and bringing them to account for violations of our rules.  I am pleased to see another example of how, by working together, we can untangle these schemes and protect consumers.