Federal Communications Commission FCC 17-107
STATEMENT OF
CHAIRMAN AJIT PAI
Re: Best Insurance Contracts, Inc., and Philip Roesel, dba Wilmington Insurance Quotes, File No.: 
EB-TCD-16-00023195.
In one scene of the 1973 classic, The Sting,
1
villain Doyle Lonnegan gets fleeced at poker by Paul 
Newman’s character, Henry Gondorff.  The villain then asks Newman’s sidekick, Johnny Hooker, played 
by Robert Redford, what the secret is.  Johnny simply replies:  “He cheats.”
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And so it seems to be with the subjects of today’s Notice of Apparent Liability, Philip Roesel and 
his company, Best Insurance Contracts, Inc.  
Today, we find them apparently liable for violating the Truth in Caller ID Act.  Over a three-
month period from late 2016 through early 2017, Mr. Roesel was responsible for more than 200,000 
robocalls a day—21.5 million altogether.
Like many for whom illegal robocalls are a business model, he sought to hide his tracks:  He 
knowingly used unassigned phone numbers to display inaccurate caller ID information so that he could 
avoid detection and evade law enforcement.
Bad stuff, as far as it goes.  Perhaps worse is the gall he evidently paired with his gumption.  The 
record shows that he instructed his employees which consumers to pick on: “the dumber and more broke 
the better.”  He was even quoted as repeatedly bragging and “joking” to co-workers that his actions were 
minor legal violations, akin to driving above the speed limit. 
But today, the whole operation hits a big speed bump.  We find Mr. Roesel and his company 
apparently liable for $82,106,000.  And we send another message to illegal robocallers who don’t follow 
the advice of FBI Agent Polk in The Sting to “try not to live up to our expectations”:  We will do 
everything in our power to put you out of business.
I want to extend my thanks for their work on this item to Vilma Anderson, Tamara Baxter, 
Michael Carowitz, Lisa Gelb, Susan German, Rosemary Harold, Jermaine Haynes, Rick Hindman, 
Matthew Hoke, Lisa Landers, Coly Marierose, Ann Morgan, Phil Priesman, Nakasha Ramsey, Terrell 
Richardson, Mary Romano, Stacy Ruffin-Smith, Mika Savir, Michael Scurato, Daniel Stepanicich, 
Kimbarly Taylor, Kristi Thompson, Bridgette Washington, and Lisa Williford of the Enforcement 
Bureau; Kurt Schroeder, Mark Stone, and Kristi Thornton of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs 
Bureau; and Terry Cavanaugh, Neil Dellar, Billy Layton, and Rick Mallen in the Office of General 
Counsel.  
Because of your efforts, we are putting an end to Mr. Roesel’s apparent sting.  
                                                     
1
The Sting (Universal Pictures 1973).
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See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LixYFIjT7wM.