Twenty-five individuals have been charged in the Southern District of Florida for their participation in a wire fraud scheme that created an illegal licensing and employment shortcut for aspiring nurses. The scheme involved the distribution of more than 7,600 fraudulent nursing degrees and transcripts from accredited Florida-based nursing schools to individuals seeking licenses and jobs as registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs).
The fake degrees and transcripts qualified the purchasers to sit for the national nursing board exam and, after passing it, to obtain licenses and jobs in various states as RNs and LPN/VNs. The three South Florida-based nursing schools, Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing, and Sacred Heart International Institute, have since been closed. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.
Health care fraud is a concern in South Florida and this case highlights the danger of such schemes to the public and the integrity of the nursing profession. The charges against these individuals speak to the purpose of a nursing license, which is to protect the public by setting minimum qualifications and competencies.
The alleged sale and purchase of nursing diplomas and transcripts to unqualified individuals is a crime that endangers patient health and safety and insults the nursing profession. The investigation and charges serve as a reminder of the need to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who disregard the well-being of others for personal gain.
