25 Arrested In Connection With Fraudulent Nursing Diploma Scheme
By Bill Galluccio
January 26, 2023
The Department of Justice announced that 25 people have been arrested in connection with a massive $100 million scheme to sell fraudulent nursing diplomas and credentials, ABC News reported.
Federal prosecutors said that more than 7,600 fake diplomas were issued by three nursing schools in Florida: Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing, and Sacred Heart International Institute. All three schools are now closed.
The diplomas allowed purchasers to take the national nursing board exam. If they passed the exam, they were able to obtain licenses and jobs in the healthcare industry.
“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 U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe, who added that “a fraud scheme like this erodes public trust in our health care system.”
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison.