tdracer
Is there any clarity to what appears to be an assumption that the indicted individual was acting as an authorised DER/AR ?
The DOJ media release and the indictment itself make no reference to this, nor any FAA delegation. If it was the case, I would expect it to be identified and to be relevant. Additional charges under Federal law would have been levied IMO if he was acting as a federal govt 'representative' in the certification activity.
I suspect despite his responsibility to disclose matters to the FAA, that doesn't mean he was a DER/AR. I wouldn't trust most media reporting to properly dissect and report these nuances accurately.