This Convicted Felon Gets $1 Million a Year to Sell Obsolete Internet Service. You Pay for It.
Roger Shoffstall, a convicted felon, receives over $1 million annually from federal subsidies for his telecom company, Summit Telephone, despite operating from prison. Alaska has received billions in telecom subsidies but still ranks last in internet speed and access. Many Alaskans are paying high prices for slow internet services while newer satellite options offer better speeds at lower costs.
- ▪The federal government pays Shoffstall's company more than $1 million a year through a subsidy program.
- ▪Alaska has received $4.6 billion in telecom subsidies since 2016, yet ranks near the bottom for internet access.
- ▪Customers in Alaska often pay hundreds of dollars a month for slow internet services, while satellite options provide faster speeds at lower prices.
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Illustration by Shoshana Gordon/ProPublica This Convicted Felon Gets $1 Million a Year to Sell Obsolete Internet Service. You Pay for It. by Kyle Hopkins, Anchorage Daily News Co-published with Anchorage Daily News May 19, 2026, 6:00 am {"componentName":"ShareToolsRebrand","props":{"pageTitle":"","pageUrl":"https://www.propublica.org/article/alaska-telecom-subsidies-roger-shoffstall"},"contextArray":[]} {"componentName":"DarkModeToggleRebrand","props":{},"contextArray":[]} Contrast Change Appearance AutoLightDark This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with the Anchorage Daily News. Sign up for Dispatches to get our stories in your inbox every week.
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