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. DOJ accuses former nursing school operators of selling fraudulent Latest posts by Amanda Bucceri Androus, RN, BSN. Phone: (561)683-1400. Lois M. Gackenheimer Richards, PhD Ed, MSN, RN. Closed Palm Beach School of Nursing linked to federal arrests in A locked padlock Tags Health News Florida nurse nursing school fraud arrest Broward County 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.. President and Employee of Ft. Lauderdale Business Indicted for : 23-60007-Cr-Singhal. NOTE: International students applying for F1 Visa / I-20 are advised to contact the office The fake diplomas and transcripts qualified those who purchased them to sit for the national nursing board exam. 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. Required fields are marked *. Authorities said students paid between $6,000 and $18,000 for fake transcripts and certificates. She was not named in the indictment. A lock ( 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. A current 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.". : 23-60010-Cr-Smith, U.S. v. Etienne, case no. U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida, Fraudulent Nursing Diploma Scheme Leads to Federal Charges Against 25 Defendants, South Florida Marketer Sentenced to Prison Term for Buying and Selling Over 2.6 Million Medicare Beneficiary Identification Numbers, South Florida Marketer Pleads Guilty to Role in Scheme Involving Purchase and Sale of Millions of Medicare Beneficiary Identification Numbers, Ardid de Estafa de Diploma de Enfermera Conduce a la Detencin de Ms de Dos Docenas de Acusados. Adrien offered the undercover employee a degree from the Palm Beach School of Nursing and training for a licensing exam in New York at a cost of $16,000, according to an FBI affidavit. Etienne is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. There is a $5.00 non-refundable fee for each official transcript requested. at admissions@palmbeachstate.edu. Your Photos. . Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe; acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough, FBI, Miami Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Omar Perez Aybar, HHS-OIG, made the announcement. Students should download and print theHome Education Graduation Affidavit form. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. High School Graduate GED Student Home Education Graduate Out of Country Credentials College/University Transfer Student Palm Beach State College (PBSC) requires all incoming students, whether first year or transfer students, to submit all official academic transcripts from every high school or college/university attended. Health care fraud is nothing new to South Florida, as many scammers see this as a way to earn easy, though illegal, money, said acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough, FBI Miami. hide transcript show transcript. Some schools will accept notarized copies of your own documents along with "proof" of the school's destruction. : 23-60005-Cr-Smith, U.S. v. Sanon, case no. Wire fraud is charged when a defendant uses interstate electronic communications to commit a fraud and "to further the scheme," according, Recruiters helped aspiring nurses obtain the fake degrees and transcripts. Additionally, companies such as Parchment provide services for transcript recovery for a nominal fee and can even provide official digital copies to the school directly. Postsecondary Career & Technical Education (CTE) Transcript Request, Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, Public Affairs Unit Provide a copy of Driver's License, Passport, or State Issued ID Card and a Social Security Card. Fraud: Palm Beach School of Nursing, Siena College of Health Florida She began her career working night shifts on a pediatric/ med-surg unit for six years, later transferring to a telemetry unit where she worked for four more years. Lock What If My Nursing School Isnt Accredited? The nursing applicants used the fake diplomas and transcripts they purchased from the owner and employees of Palm Beach School of Nursing to obtain RN or LPN/VN licenses in various states and nursing jobs with unwitting health care providers throughout the country. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. It is alleged that these recruiter defendants then arranged with Palm Beach School of Nursings owner Johanah Napoleon and school employees Gail Russ, Cheryl Stanley, Krystal Lopez, and Ricky Riley to create and distribute false and fraudulent diplomas and transcripts representing that the aspiring RN and LPN/VN candidates had attended Palm Beach School of Nursing and completed the necessary courses and clinicals to obtain RN or LPN/VN diplomas. Palm Beach International College | Admissions And when I asked for the transcript, they sent us a fake transcript," she said. Now theyve filed complaints with their state attorneys to try and see how they can get their money back. Related: HHS: Insiders Pose Significant Cybersecurity Threat to Healthcare. The phony credentials were sold by three South Florida-based nursing schools: Palm Beach School of Nursing in Palm Beach County, FL, Sacred Heart International Institute in Broward County, FL, and . Two business people charged with selling fake nursing degrees | Miami In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. To order a high school transcript electronically, visitParchment. It is alleged that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an LPN/VN. One nurse worked at a Veterans Affairs-run home. This school offers training in 4 qualifications, with the most reviewed qualifications being Registered Nurse , C.N.A. The other 10 charged were listed as recruiters, including seven from New Jersey or New York. About 2,400 of the 7,600 students eventually passed their licensing exams mainly in New York, federal officials said. need In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing and Sacred Heart International Institute - all based in south Florida - combined to distribute more than 7,600 fraudulent diplomas worth over. No students were named in the indictments. PLEASE NOTE: The contents of this website are for informational purposes only. The investigation turned up about $114 million dollars of fake nursing diplomas that were sold across three formerly accredited schools: Palm Beach School of Nursing. "Health care fraud is nothing new to South Florida, as many scammers see this as a way to earn easy, though illegal, money," acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough said Wednesday. Sacred Heart International Institute. Varela/Miami Herald via AP There is a $25.00 non-refundable fee for each duplicate diploma requested. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts fromSiena College. From about Nov. 2018 to Oct. 2021, Sanon allegedly sold 2,016 fake diplomas and transcripts that falsely purported that recipients had completed the necessary courses and training at Siena College to obtain such degrees when they never had, according to the criminal complaint. Health care fraud is nothing new to South Florida, as many scammers see this as a way to earn easy, though illegal, money, said acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough, FBI Miami. at transcriptevaluation@palmbeachstate.edu. More than 7,600 fake nursing diplomas were issued by the three nursing schools since 2016 at $15,000 each, netting them more than $114 million. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. This case is being prosecuted in conjunction with a related criminal matter in the District of Maryland. Official websites use .gov The college was run byEunide Sanon, who allegedly worked with three people, who are also charged, in New York and New Jersey who recruited aspiring nurses. "I see it as rewarding.". Pay a non-refundable application fee of $150.00. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. Out of State Public Universities and Colleges. Dr. Rebekah Bernard with the nonprofit Physicians for Patient Protection said its not surprising this is happening after the pandemic. minutes, too. Palm Beach State College prefers that transcripts be submitted electronically from The bleeding here is to stop those schools from being able to put more fraudulent diplomas out in the public sphere.". Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts fromSacred Heart International Institute, U.S. v. Jean, et al., case no. Krystal Lopez of Palm Beach County. 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.. and Pharmacy Technician Certification. palm beach school of nursing is located in West Palm Beach, FL, but also offers classes online. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Practical Nursing Program Specific Requirements 1. all right, chris, thank you. Twenty-five people have been charged in a wire fraud scheme that created an illegal licensing and employment shortcut for aspiring nurses at three now-closed schools, including the Palm Beach School of Nursing, federal prosecutors said Wednesday afternoon. Nursing school in West Palm Beach named in fraudulent diploma - MSN Upon request, Admissions staff will Amanda Bucceri Androus is a Registered Nurse from Sacramento, California. The school was licensed with the Florida Board of Nursing but it was terminated in 2017 due to low passing rates on the state certification exam. Florida nursing schools sold thousands of fake diplomas totaling $100M This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, helicopter parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. Prosecutors said the scheme put patient safety at risk as required training programs exist to protect the public from harm by setting minimum qualifications and competencies.. U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. Student and Staff Safety: Addressing the Significant Rise in Mental Health Needs and Violence, Beyond Threat Assessment: Managing Threats with Appropriate Follow-up, Monitoring & Training, Mental Health in America: Test Your Awareness with This Quiz, Test Your Hospital Safety and Security Knowledge with These 9 Questions, IS-800 D National Response Framework Exam Questions. Around 2,400 of those people then passed a licensing exam to obtain jobs as registered nurses and . Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Note: Transcripts need to show a graduation date to be considered complete and official.
