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U.S. Legal professional Markenzy Lapointe speaks at a information convention in Miami on Wednesday a few 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 by way of AP
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D.A. Varela/Miami Herald by way of AP
U.S. Legal professional Markenzy Lapointe speaks at a information convention in Miami on Wednesday a few 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 by way of AP
MIAMI — Federal authorities in Florida have charged 25 folks with collaborating in a wire fraud scheme that created an unlawful shortcut for aspiring nurses to get licensed and discover employment.
Not too long ago 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 folks searching for licenses and jobs as registered nurses and licensed sensible/vocational nurses. The defendants every resist 20 years in jail.
“Not solely is that this a public security concern, it additionally tarnishes the fame of nurses who truly full the demanding medical and course work required to acquire their skilled licenses and employment,” mentioned U.S. Legal professional 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 pretend diplomas and transcripts certified those that bought them to sit down for the nationwide nursing board examination. In the event that they handed, they had been in a position to get hold of licenses and jobs in numerous states, prosecutors mentioned.
The colleges concerned — Siena Faculty, Palm Seaside College of Nursing and Sacred Coronary heart Worldwide Institute — are actually closed.
A few of those that bought levels had been from South Florida’s Haitian-American neighborhood, together with some with official LPN licenses who wished 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 solution to earn straightforward, although unlawful, cash,” appearing Particular Agent in Cost Chad Yarbrough mentioned Wednesday.
He mentioned it is significantly disturbing that greater than 7,600 folks across the nation obtained pretend credentials and had been doubtlessly in crucial well being care roles treating sufferers.
The promoting and buying of nursing diplomas and transcripts to “keen however unqualified people” is a criminal offense that “doubtlessly endangers the well being and security of sufferers and insults the honorable occupation of nursing,” mentioned Particular Agent in Cost Omar Pérez Aybar. Pérez mentioned investigators haven’t discovered, nonetheless, that any of the nurses brought on hurt to sufferers.
The scholars paid a complete of $114 million for the pretend levels between 2016 and 2021, the newspaper reported. About 2,400 of the 7,600 college students ultimately handed their licensing exams — primarily in New York, federal officers mentioned. Nurses licensed in New York are allowed to follow in Florida and plenty of different states.
Lots of these folks might lose their certification however possible will not be criminally charged, federal officers mentioned.
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