The Southern District of Florida charged 25 individuals for alleged involvement in a wire fraud scheme that gave false nursing diplomas and transcripts. Three South Florida-based nursing schools issued over 7,600 fake nursing diplomas late last month.
The schools in question, Siena College of Broward County, Palm Beach School of Nursing in Palm Beach County, and Sacred Heart International Institute ofBroward County, are now closed due to their involvement in this fraud scheme.
“Not only is this a public safety concern, it also tarnishes the reputation of nurses who actually complete the demanding clinical and course work required to obtain their professional licenses and employment,” said Markenzy Lapointe, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida in a Department of Justice news release. “A fraud scheme like this erodes public trust in our health care system.”
If found guilty, the accused may face up to 20 years in prison.
Nurses caught with a fake degree will lose their licenses, but they will not likely be criminally prosecuted.
According to NewsNation, three nurses were removed from an Atlanta Veterans Affairs hospital. According to a statement from Terrance Hayes, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, addressed to NewsNation, said, “Their removal is very unfortunate but patient safety is and must be our primary responsibility at VA.” Since the news broke, some nurses from other states were released from their positions.
Many states are now finding some nurses with fake diplomas. For instance, the Georgia Secretary of State’s office has discovered 17 nurses who have received fraudulent diplomas and their nursing licenses, and they have been asked to return their licenses. Without their license, they would not be allowed to work as a nurse in the state.
Because of this scandal, many people worry that some nurses handling families and friends are not credible and could bring serious harm.
Ramie Washington, a sophomore Howard student, said, “I have mixed emotions about this situation. On one hand you’re wondering do they have the proper education and know how to help people. It’s concerning because you’re wondering if someone was harmed because of this situation.”
According to a report from the Florida Center for Nursing, less than two thirds of Florida nursing students passed the National Council Licensure Examination in 2022, where they have performed below the national average since 2020.
The false diplomas and transcripts allow those to take the national nursing board exam. If passed, they’ll be awarded a nursing license and the opportunity to apply for jobs in and out of state as Registered Nurses or a Licensed Practical Nurse.
Palm Beach School of Nursing’s owner Johanah Napoleon and his fellow work employees Gail Russ, Cheryl Stanley, Krystal Lopez, and Ricket Riley were some of those involved in the nursing scandal, where it was discovered in court documents that the nurses never took or completed the obligated courses or clinicians.
“Health care fraud is nothing new to South Florida, as many scammers see this as a way to earn easy, though illegal, money,” said Chad Yarbrough, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami in the release. “What is disturbing about this investigation is that there are over 7,600 people around the country with fraudulent nursing credentials who are potentially in critical health care roles treating patients. Were it not for the diligence and hard work of the investigators on this case, the extent of this fraud may not have been discovered.”