The United States of America has filed charges against 43 Nigerian nurses for allegedly fraudulently obtaining educational credentials.
The 43 names, identified as nurses of Nigerian origin, include the 18 charged to court in February 2023 and the additional 25 that were added over the weekend following high-end investigations by the Texas Board of Nursing, U.S.
The US authorities had said that the list would be updated continuously as the board received additional information about “the fraudulent diploma/transcript scheme.”
Commenting on the matter, the board said, “The board has filed formal charges against the following nurses for fraudulently obtaining educational credentials. The board is authorised to file formal charges against a nurse if probable cause exists that the nurse has committed an act listed in Tex. Occ. Code §301.452(b) or that violates other laws. See Tex. Occ. Code §301.458. Further, formal charges are publicly available. See Tex. Occ. Code §301.466(b).
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, Fla — Palm Beach School of Nursing in Palm Beach County, Fla — Sacred Heart International Institute in Broward County.
FBI investigators said these schools are now closed.
The 18 Nigerians charged in the furst list include Abiodun Felicia; Adelakun Aveez; Adelekan Adewale; Adeoye Temitope; Adewale Abidemi; Afolabi Toun; Afolabi Omowunmi; Agbo Steve; and Ajibade Omotayo.
Others are; Akande Olabisi; Akhigbe Catherine; Akinrolabu Folasade; Ako Esiri; Akpan Rosemary; Alimi Bukola; Ani Ndirika; Aroh Nchekwube; and Ayodeji Sherifat.
Crimes such as these continue to spring up in the United States.
If guilty, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, according to court documents made public 25 January.
“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, who 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, as a nurse, while formal charges are pending, the nursing board said.