Multiple charges have been filed against the Reno-based owner of Uprise Fiber LLC Stephen Allen Kromer, accused of diverting millions of dollars for a massive rural fiber optic project into his own personal bank account.
His company had been paid $9.1 million in upfront state funds from the Nevada Department of Transportation two years ago to initiate a rural broadband project in Lovelock, which also involved huge sums of promised grant money from the U.S Department of Agriculture, but no noticeable progress had been made.
Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford said the charges were the result of dedicated work from his office’s investigators and prosecutors, and that he had faith justice would be served in this case, which has made local media headlines for months on end.
Kromer has been charged with one count of theft in an amount of $25,000 or more but less than $100,000, and 30 counts of theft in an amount more than $100,000.
Our Town Reno reporting, May 16, 2025