Cricket Whacked for Overcharging Feds

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) - Cricket Communications will pay $2.2 million for overcharging law enforcement agencies for wiretaps, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Monday.

Prosecutors said the telecom company overcharged the feds for executing court-ordered wiretaps and pen registers, which capture call identifying information, from 2007 to 2010. Cricket agreed to pay the $2,174,432 settlement.

Telecom carriers can recover "reasonable expenses" for executing the wiretaps or pen registers.

San Diego-based Cricket provides prepaid wireless plans.

AT&T acquired Cricket and its parent company Leap Wireless last year.

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