The charges speak to the purpose of a nursing license which is to protect the public from harm by setting minimum qualifications and competencies. 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 indictment charges Gail Russ of Broward County; Cheryl Stanley of Collier County, Fla.; Krystal Lopez of Palm Beach County; Ricky Riley of Broward County; Norberto Lopez of Palm Beach County; Damian Lopez of Palm Beach County; Francois Legagneur of Nassau County, N.Y.; Reynoso Seide of Union County, N.J.; Cassandre Jean of Palm Beach County; Yelva Saint Preux of Suffolk County, N.Y.; Evangeline Naissant of Nassau County, N.Y.; Rony Michel of Monmouth County, N.J.; Vilaire Duroseau of Essex County, N.J.; and Yvrose Thermitus, a/k/a Yvrose Thompson, of Union County, N.J., with conspiring to commit, and committing, wire fraud. Diplomas are not accepted as proof of high school completion or in place of transcripts. 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. West Palm Beach, FL 33417. 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. It is alleged that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an LPN/VN. How Do I Get Transcripts from a Nursing School That Has Closed? The seven nurses used the diplomas to become licensed nurses in Ohio, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. I would say that based on the rapid proliferation of online training programs that started well before COVID-19 but have definitely increased since COVID-19 just because of the difficulties we've had with being able to have in-person training, we know that there's going to be a higher chance that some of these people are going to slip through the cracks," Bernard said. And when I asked for the transcript, they sent us a fake transcript," she said. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. 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. After passing the exam, they became eligible to become licensed in several states, where they eventually found jobs as licensednurses. She said a normal nursing school program lasts 22 months and can equate to four years at a large university. 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. Palm Beach International College | Admissions Transcripts should be complete showing all final grades and final graduation date. In 2021, an undercover FBI employee met with Fort Lauderdale businessman Geralda Adrien at her Fort Lauderdale office. "Plus I paid the plane fare, hotel, so roughly $25,000.". Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. and Pharmacy Technician Certification. PDF Student Records Request - School District of Palm Beach County Submission of college transcripts from postsecondary institutions outside the United The other group included owners, operators and employees of nursing schools to fake diplomas and transcripts. Please note that Palm Beach State College will only accept original educational records 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.. Take a Look, Police Reunite Parents With Toddler Found Wandering in Miramar, A Toxic Plant Was Removed From a Miami Park. Phone: 850-245-0509 Below is a list of schools that the Commission has some records for or has information on where the records are maintained. According to the charging documents, Palm Beach School of Nursings objective was to prepare students to meet Floridas licensing and nursing board requirements and become eligible to take the national licensing exam in order to work as registered nurses. 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 . such as Joseph Silny and Associates, Inc. or World Education Services can be accessed 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 Special Agent in Charge Omar Prez Aybar of Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). Predestin worked at Docu-Flex and PowerfulU to help Adrien provide fake nursing diplomas and transcripts to students from the two schools in Broward and Palm Beach counties, the affidavit. Officials are trying to track down nurses with fake degrees from Fla Napoleon already pleaded guilty to wire and health care fraud charges, the DOJ said. Southern District of Florida NOTICE: Under Florida law, email addresses are public record. 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.". The School of Nursing offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs, features state-of-the-art lab resources and offers students a holistic approach to the nursing profession. There are two categories of defendants. High School transcripts can be sent via secure PDF from the issuing institution to South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. The nursing candidates used the fake diplomas and transcripts they purchased from Sacred Heart to obtain LPN/VN licenses in various states and nursing jobs withunwitting health care providers throughout the country. "I see it as rewarding.". Dr. Rebekah Bernard with the nonprofit Physicians for Patient Protection said its not surprising this is happening after the pandemic. A lock ( Varela/Miami Herald via AP 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! There is a $5.00 non-refundable fee for each official transcript requested. Adrien and Predestin are also named as co-conspirators in the Siena College case. They were charged with conspiring to and committing wire fraud, prosecutors said. Two business people charged with selling fake nursing degrees | Miami Siena College. AICE, AP, IB, or CLEP Please submit these transcripts electronically to transcriptevaluation@palmbeachstate.edu. The other 10 charged were listed as recruiters, including seven from New Jersey or New York. According to the charging documents, Palm Beach School of Nursing's objective was to prepare students to meet Florida's licensing and nursing board requirements and become eligible to take the national licensing exam in order to work as registered nurses. Student Speaks Out After Palm Beach School of Nursing Busted for "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, FBI Miami, said. Parent signatures for minors. 33132, Telephone: (305) 961-9001 Official websites use .gov Transcripts should be complete showing all final grades and if applicable graduation Campus District Upcoming Events april27 Prosecutors alleged recruiters arranged with Palm Beach School of Nursings owner, Napoleon, and school employees Gail Russ, Cheryl Stanley, Krystal Lopez and Ricky Riley to create and distribute false and fraudulent diplomas and transcripts. 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. 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. . or transfer students, to submit all official academic transcripts from every high 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. "They are monsters because you have to have clinical experience to do medication, to give IV, you can kill somebody," she said. : 23-60007-Cr-Singhal. : 23-60012-Cr-Singhal. BSO Deputy Hospitalized After Multi-Vehicle Crash in Deerfield Beach, Police Investigate Separate Car Thefts in Miami, Broward, Tornado Touched Down in Palm Beach Gardens Leaving Destruction in Its Wake. But last week, federal authorities arrested 25 people and shut down the Palm Beach School of Nursing and two other colleges after investigators uncovered an elaborate web of money wiring,. A locked padlock Practical Nursing Program Specific Requirements 1. Executive Director / President. The indictment charges defendants Stanton Witherspoon of Burlington County N.J.; Alfred Sellu of Burlington County N.J.; and Rene Bernadel of Westchester County, N.Y. with conspiring to commit and committing wire fraud. : 23-60005-Cr-Smith, U.S. v. Sanon, case no. "It's a monster.". When Lucy Brown signed up for the Palm Beach School of Nursing, she thought she made the right choice. Pay a non-refundable application fee of $150.00. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. 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. Up to 7,600 fraudulent diplomas were sold at $15,000 each, authorities said. She graduated from California State University, Sacramento in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in nursing. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Investigators said about a third of the people actually are practicing medicine. If they passed, they were able to obtain licenses and jobs in various states, prosecutors said. hide caption. Nursing school in West Palm Beach named in fraudulent diploma - MSN 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.. Crimes such as these unfortunately continue to spring up, especially in this area. When a school closes, they are required to select a permanent custodian of their records for later retrieval. Nurse Suicides: Unveiling the Shrouds of Silence. Required fields are marked *. Some of those who purchased degrees were from South Florida's Haitian-American community, including some with legitimate LPN licenses who wanted to become registered nurses, the Miami Herald reported. U.S. v. Witherspoon, et al., case no. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. For more information visit palmbeachstate.edu/international. Transcripts can be sent via secure PDF directly from the issuing institution to Admissions 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. to ensure that transcripts are submitted a minimum of two weeks prior to the specific Stop the bleeding. at admissions@palmbeachstate.edu. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. 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. 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. Prez said investigators have not found, however, that any of the nurses caused harm to patients. NBC 6's Xochitl Hernandez has more on what the student had to say in an interview you'll see Only on 6. Published on January 27, 2023 12:17 AM. or both | Get started now. Group ranks health care industry's lowlights in 2022, FDA vaccine panel to consider annual COVID shots, Florida doc sentenced to 20 years in prison, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy, The DOJ is prosecuting participants in the alleged scheme in five separate cases. 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. El Paso Times Obituaries Past 30 Days, Is Tua Tagovailoa Married, Peopleplus Cascade Login, Articles P
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