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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The United States of America has filed charges against 23 Nigerian nurses for allegedly fraudulently obtaining educational credentials.
The Texas Board of Nursing charged the health workers at the Southern District Court of Florida, saying the nurses allegedly participated in a wire fraud scheme that created an illegal licensing and employment shortcut for aspiring nurses.
According to the charge documents, the scheme fraudulently sells nursing degree diplomas and transcripts obtained from accredited Florida-based nursing schools to individuals seeking licenses and jobs as registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs).
“The alleged selling and purchasing of nursing diplomas and transcripts to willing but unqualified individuals is a crime that potentially endangers the health and safety of patients and insults the honorable profession of nursing,” said Omar Aybar, a Special Agent in charge of the investigations.
The bogus diplomas and transcripts qualified 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 US Attorney was told.
The overall scheme involved the distribution of more than 7,600 fake nursing diplomas issued by three South Florida-based nursing schools — Siena College in Broward County, Palm Beach School of Nursing in Palm Beach County, and Sacred Heart International Institute in Broward County.
FBI investigators said these schools are now closed.
If found guilty, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, according to court documents made public on January 25.
“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 US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Markenzy Lapointe.
Lapointe added that “a fraud scheme like this erodes public trust in our health care system.”
“However, formal charges are not a final disciplinary action, and a nurse is permitted to work, while formal charges are pending,” the Texas Board of Nursing said.
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