U.S. Lawyer Markenzy Lapointe speaks at a information convention in Miami on Wednesday a couple of community of nursing faculty operators, centered in South Florida, who allowed college students to purchase diplomas with out the right coaching.
D.A. Varela/Miami Herald through AP
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D.A. Varela/Miami Herald through AP
U.S. Lawyer Markenzy Lapointe speaks at a information convention in Miami on Wednesday a couple of community of nursing faculty operators, centered in South Florida, who allowed college students to purchase diplomas with out the right coaching.
D.A. Varela/Miami Herald through AP
MIAMI — Federal authorities in Florida have charged 25 individuals with taking part in a wire fraud scheme that created an unlawful shortcut for aspiring nurses to get licensed and discover employment.
Lately unsealed federal grand jury indictments allege the defendants took half in a rip-off that bought greater than 7,600 fraudulent nursing diploma diplomas from three Florida-based nursing faculties, federal officers mentioned throughout a information convention in Miami on Wednesday afternoon. Prosecutors mentioned the scheme additionally concerned transcripts from the nursing faculties for individuals in search of licenses and jobs as registered nurses and licensed sensible/vocational nurses. The defendants every withstand 20 years in jail.
“Not solely is that this a public security concern, it additionally tarnishes the status of nurses who really full the demanding scientific and course work required to acquire their skilled licenses and employment,” mentioned U.S. Lawyer for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe.
Lapointe added that “a fraud scheme like this erodes public belief in our well being care system.”
The faux diplomas and transcripts certified those that bought them to sit down for the nationwide nursing board examination. In the event that they handed, they have been in a position to acquire licenses and jobs in numerous states, prosecutors mentioned.
The faculties concerned — Siena Faculty, Palm Seaside Faculty of Nursing and Sacred Coronary heart Worldwide Institute — are actually closed.
A few of those that bought levels have been from South Florida’s Haitian-American group, together with some with authentic LPN licenses who needed to change into registered nurses, the Miami Herald reported.
“Well being care fraud is nothing new to South Florida, as many scammers see this as a technique to earn straightforward, although unlawful, cash,” appearing Particular Agent in Cost Chad Yarbrough mentioned Wednesday.
He mentioned it is notably disturbing that greater than 7,600 individuals across the nation obtained faux credentials and have been doubtlessly in vital well being care roles treating sufferers.
The promoting and buying of nursing diplomas and transcripts to “prepared however unqualified people” is a criminal offense that “doubtlessly endangers the well being and security of sufferers and insults the honorable career of nursing,” mentioned Particular Agent in Cost Omar Pérez Aybar. Pérez mentioned investigators haven’t discovered, nevertheless, that any of the nurses induced hurt to sufferers.
The scholars paid a complete of $114 million for the faux levels between 2016 and 2021, the newspaper reported. About 2,400 of the 7,600 college students finally handed their licensing exams — primarily in New York, federal officers mentioned. Nurses licensed in New York are allowed to observe in Florida and plenty of different states.
Lots of these individuals could lose their certification however seemingly will not be criminally charged, federal officers mentioned.
