Leak Led to $50,000 Hike in Clinton Phone Bill

NEW YORK —  The Clinton administration’s phone bill soared by more than $50,000 after an Army sergeant leaked the White House’s long distance calling code to people in the Bronx and New Jersey, who then made 9,400 unauthorized calls, prosecutors said Monday.

Federal agents on Friday arrested 30-year-old David Gilmer on charges of conspiracy to defraud the government. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

According to court papers, Gilmer allegedly gave information to several people that allowed them to access the Private Branch Exchange--a computerized phone system owned and maintained by private corporations but operated by the White House Communications Agency, to which he was assigned.

The agency provides telecommunications to President Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and other users--including the White House’s senior staff, the Secret Service and the National Security Council.

The criminal complaint filed in Manhattan charged that Gilmer gave out access codes for the system, knowing that the illegal users could obtain free phone service from AT&T.;

Government lawyers said that after the users punched in a series of numbers, they got a dial tone through the White House telephone system that let them place calls throughout the world. The complaint charged that 9,400 unauthorized calls were made from Dec. 5 to Feb. 8. Some of the callers tapped into the White House through pay phones.

By January, an investigation was underway into the large number of unauthorized calls flowing into the White House’s exchange. Federal agents learned that several phone lines in the Bronx were being used to make the illegal calls. Last month, the probe was broadened as additional phone lines in the scheme were discovered in the Bronx and New Jersey.

After a federal magistrate issued search warrants, Secret Service and other federal agents raided a New Jersey location, where prosecutors said evidence of telephone fraud was found.

According to the criminal complaint, Secret Service Agent J. Alexander Pickett said that a person on the premises admitted to placing calls to a White House toll-free number, then entering the long-distance access code. Pickett said the person confessed to receiving directions and access codes from Gilmer, and showed the Army sergeant’s business card.

The next day, the same person phoned Gilmer in a call that was taped by Secret Service agents.

“In that conversation, the individual asked Gilmer for additional access codes to enable him/her to make at least one call without incurring any charges,” Pickett said.

Prosecutors said the sergeant provided the sequence of numbers.

Five days later, prosecutors said, the same person made a second taped call to Gilmer, who allegedly admitted that he had provided similar information to other individuals.

Mary Jo White, the U.S. attorney for the southern district of New York, said the investigation was continuing. Her spokesman added that there was no indication that those who used the access codes did anything more than place free calls.