Around 2,400 of those people then passed a licensing exam to obtain jobs as registered nurses and . According to three recently unsealed indictments returned by a South Florida federal grand jury and two informations filed by federal prosecutors, defendants engaged in a scheme to sell fraudulent 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). Recently unsealed federal grand jury indictments allege the defendants took part in a scam that sold more than 7,600 fraudulent nursing degree diplomas from three Florida-based nursing schools, federal officials said during a news conference in Miami on Wednesday afternoon. 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. also accept certified copies of the documents. We are an A-rated School District with 335 Choice & Career Programs. All trademarks are the property of their respective trademark holders. There are two categories of defendants. No students were named in the indictments. How Do I Get Transcripts from a Nursing School That Has Closed? From Nov. 2020 to July 2021, Charles Etienne, owner of Sacred Heart International Institute, and two others provided purchasers with 588 fake diplomas and transcripts. Etienne is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Student Speaks Out After Palm Beach School of Nursing Busted for 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. The overall scheme involved the distribution of more than 7,600 fake nursing diplomas issued by three South Florida-based nursing schools, Miami, Florida More than two dozen individuals have been charged in the Southern District of Florida for their alleged participation in a wire fraud scheme that created an illegal licensing and employment shortcut for aspiring nurses. "I like to help people," said Brown, who concealed her face and didn't want to give her real name. : 23-60013-Cr-Moreno. The charging documents describe Siena College as a Broward County school licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education and the Florida Board of Nursing that offers a Practical Nursing Program and an RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. Upon request, Admissions staff will THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) / RECORDS MANAGEMENT. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, Miami Field Office; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General; United States Postal Inspection Service, Miami; and Florida Attorney General-Florida Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Mid-Atlantic Field Office. For example, the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE), which provides oversight of California's private postsecondary education institutions, is a depository for many closed schools and former students can request official transcripts from the archives. The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. The students paid a total of $114 million for the fake degrees between 2016 and 2021, the newspaper reported. The copies will need to be certified The School District of Palm Beach County Records Management 3300 Forest Hill Blvd., Suite B-201 West Palm Beach, FL 33406-5870 Email: recordsmanagement@palmbeachschools.org Phone: (561) 434-8550 Fax: (561) 434-8660 It is alleged that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an LPN/VN. The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. Siena College, the Palm Beach School of Nursing and Sacred Heart International Institute allegedly handed out more than 7,600 fake diplomas between 2016 and 2021. The defendants each face up to 20 years in prison. Individuals with prior criminal circumstances on their background check may not be eligible for licensure or employment. Miami, Florida - Today, a Miami federal grand jury returned an indictment charging two Lauderhill residents for their roles in a fraud conspiracy that sold fake nursing degrees to people who had not completed the required nursing coursework or clinicals. Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations The charging documents describe Siena College as a Broward County school licensed by the Florida Commission for Independent Education and the Florida Board of Nursing that offers a Practical Nursing Program and an RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program. Carleen Health Institute of South Florida Nursing and Healthcare Programs Plantation Campus 8320 West Sunrise Blvd, Suite #204 Plantation, FL 33322 Get directions West Palm Beach Campus 4645 Gun Club Road, #11 West Palm Beach, FL 33415 (561)656-4720 Get directions 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. The charges speak to the purpose of a nursing license which is to protect the public from harm by setting minimum qualifications and competencies. Federal indictment over fake Florida nursing diplomas leaves 26 MIAMI Federal authorities in Florida have charged 25 people with participating in a wire fraud scheme that created an illegal shortcut for aspiring nurses to get licensed and find employment. 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.. 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. Pay a non-refundable application fee of $150.00. by either the U.S. Consulate or the Ministry of Education in the applicants country. Nursing School Scam Leads To Indictments For Palm Beach County Multiple state officials yanked dozens of nursing licenses | Miami Herald Your Photos. Nursing school in West Palm Beach named in fraudulent diploma - MSN An affidavit said about 175 graduates of the Virginia nursing school applied to the Maryland Board of Nursing, with 62 licensed practical nurses actively working in Maryland. : 23-60005-Cr-Smith, U.S. v. Sanon, case no. Exams were taken in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Texas. The information against Sanon alleges that he and others sold thousands of fake Siena College nursing diplomas and educational transcripts to nursing applicants who used them to obtain RN or LPN/VN licenses in various states and nursing jobs with unwitting health care providers throughout the country. Siena College was a school in Broward County, Florida that was licensed by the states board of nursing and its independent education commission to offer practical nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. Postsecondary Career & Technical Education (CTE) Transcript Request, Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). First, create an account, then place the order. of International Admissions at international@palmbeachstate.edu. Defendants sold fraudulent nursing degree diplomas and transcripts obtained from accredited Florida-based nursing schools to individuals seeking licenses and jobs as registered nurses and licensed practical/vocational nurses, according to three recently unsealed indictments returned by a South Florida federal grand jury on Jan. 12 and information filed by federal prosecutors. PBSD 1457 (Rev. 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. The overall scheme involved the distribution of more than 7,600 fake nursing diplomas issued at a cost of about $114 million. Mailed RequestsRequests submitted via mail/fax must include the following information: Link to Student Transcript / Records Request PBSD 1457, Requests may be mailed or faxed to the following address:The School District of Palm Beach CountyRecords Management3300 Forest Hill Blvd., Suite B-201West Palm Beach, FL 33406-5870Email:recordsmanagement@palmbeachschools.orgPhone: (561) 434-8550Fax: (561) 434-8660. 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. Email Us. D.A. The news stunned Brown, but she said she always thought something was a little sketchy about her online degree program. Palm Beach International College | Programs There is a $25.00 non-refundable fee for each duplicate diploma requested. RegisteredNursing.org does not guarantee the accuracy or results of any of this information. The Department of Justice along with the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General carried out the investigation, dubbed Operation Nightingale. : 23-60013-Cr-Moreno. These fake documents represented that the aspiring RN and LPN/VN candidates had attended Siena Colleges nursing program in Broward County and completed the necessary courses and clinicals to obtain RN or LPN/VN diplomas. Court documents show that in 2021, an undercover FBI employee went into an office in Fort Lauderdale and was offered an associate's degree in the science of nursing for $16,000. 4th Street In 2021, an undercover FBI employee met with Fort Lauderdale businessman Geralda Adrien at her Fort Lauderdale office. 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. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. 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. The indictment alleges that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN. Transcripts should be complete showing all final grades and if applicable graduation 2023 Emerald X, LLC. With the help of the fake degrees the nurses found jobs at nursing homes that took in Medicare and Medicaid-eligible patients. The Florida Board of Nursing requires a criminal background check for all applicants seeking licensure. These recruiters then arranged with Charles Etienne, Sacred Hearts owner, to create and distribute false and fraudulent transcripts and diplomas representing that the aspiring candidates had attended Sacred Heart and completed the necessary courses and clinicals to obtain LPN/VN diplomas. Florida Public High Schools and Charter schools Please request that transcripts be submitted electronically via FASTER. Napoleon already pleaded guilty to wire and health care fraud charges, the DOJ said. This case is being prosecuted in conjunction with a related criminal matter in the District of Maryland. Promote excellence in nursing by enabling future and current nurses with the education and employment resources they need to succeed. Recruiters would bring "students" from other states to get the "shortcut" documents from the South Florida school. : 23-60005-Cr-Smith, U.S. v. Sanon, case no. Prior to 2010, schools were only obligated to maintain records for five years (for certificate and non-degree granting programs) or 50 years if the school granted degrees. 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 $100 million or roughly $15,000 per diploma, federal prosecutors said. : 23-60007-Cr-Singhal. Prez said investigators have not found, however, that any of the nurses caused harm to patients. Napoleon was previously charged by information and has pled guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as wire fraud (case nos. U.S. Attorneys Office ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Student Records Requests / Request Transcript Submission of college transcripts from postsecondary institutions outside the United The bleeding here is to stop those schools from being able to put more fraudulent diplomas out in the public sphere.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. To report waste, fraud, corruption, or abuse, please call the Inspector General Hotline: (855) 561-1010. It is alleged that these defendants arranged with Sanon, who managed Siena College and is charged by information with wire fraud conspiracy, to create and distribute false and fraudulent diplomas and transcripts. The schools involved Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing and Sacred Heart International Institute are now closed. Five Maryland, Virginia and Florida residents have been hit with federal charges related to the production and sale of fraudulent nursing transcripts and diplomas, the De | In two cases announced . Lois M. Gackenheimer Richards, PhD Ed, MSN, RN. Parent signatures for minors. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe speaks at a news conference in Miami on Wednesday about a network of nursing school operators, centered in South Florida, who allowed students to buy diplomas without the proper training. 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. and Pharmacy Technician Certification. "They are monsters because you have to have clinical experience to do medication, to give IV, you can kill somebody," she said. Palm Beach State College (PBSC) requires all incoming students, whether first year 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. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. From April 2016 to July 2021, at least seven nurses obtained fake diplomas from the Palm Beach School of Nursing, Sunshine Academy, Quisqeya and Florida College of Health, which were all owned by Johanah Napoleon. She was not named in the indictment. at admissions@palmbeachstate.edu. Krystal Lopez of Palm Beach County. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The other schools named are the Sacred Heart Institute in Fort Lauderdale in Sienna College of Health in Lauderhill in the investigation dubbed "Operation Nightingale" after legendary nurse Florence Nightingale. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. Applicants must meet the following requirements before being accepted: Be at least 18 years old. The School of Nursing prepares professional, competent nurses who are reflective, inquiring, able to apply nursing theory, processes and technical nursing skills within the context of the Christian worldview, while recognizing the global, pluralistic nature of society. Phone: (561)683-1400. FBI Miami and HHS-OIG Miami investigated these cases. Attorneys for defendants were not listed in a federal court database Thursday. Sacred Heart International Institute. To order a high school transcript electronically, visitParchment. 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., and Sacred Heart International Institute in Broward County. Our mission is to educate, affirm, and inspire each student in an equity-embedded school system. 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. The bleeding here is to stop those schools from being able to put more fraudulent diplomas out in the public sphere.". hide caption. In 2021, an undercover FBI employee met with Fort Lauderdale businessman Geralda Adrien at her Fort Lauderdale office. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. Copy of pictured ID of adult student or parent guardian. Telephone or Fax requests will not be honored. They were charged with conspiring to and committing wire fraud, prosecutors said. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. In her spare time she likes to read, travel, write, and spend time with her husband and two children. Students should contact the Department of Education in the state the GED was earned The indictment alleges that Witherspoon, Sellu, and Bernadel solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN. 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. Transcripts should be complete showing all final grades and final graduation date. We will temporarily accept (due to COVID-19) clear copies of your high school diploma make copies and return original documents to applicants in person. Exams were taken in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Texas. Lapointe added that "a fraud scheme like this erodes public trust in our health care system.". Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts fromSacred Heart International Institute, U.S. v. Jean, et al., case no. 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. What You Need to Know About Angel's Trumpet, 40 Years Later, Adam Walsh's Abduction and Murder Not Forgotten in South Florida, Check Your Change! Closed Palm Beach School of Nursing linked to federal arrests in Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 'Operation Nightingale' also targeted 2 schools in Broward County. Federal Enforcement on Falsifying Thousands of Nursing Credentials PLEASE NOTE: The contents of this website are for informational purposes only. Qualified purchasers were allowed 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. Photo: google. "Nothing, nothing. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida atwww.flsd.uscourts.govor athttp://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, Leading in Turbulent Times: Effective Campus Public Safety Leadership for the 21st Century.

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