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. Online tracking is available 24/7. 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 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. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. 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. Students shouldcomplete anonline request for Florida GED Transcript. After passing the exam, they became eligible to become licensed in several states, where they eventually found jobs as licensednurses. These schools are now closed. She was not named in the indictment. High School transcripts can be sent via secure PDF from the issuing institution to Closed Palm Beach School of Nursing linked to federal arrests in Student Speaks Out After Palm Beach School of Nursing Busted for Attorneys for defendants were not listed in a federal court database Thursday. According to the court documents, 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. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. The other 10 charged were listed as recruiters, including seven from New Jersey or New York. Fraud: Palm Beach School of Nursing, Siena College of Health Florida This discussion will help participants analyze, understand, and assess their own program effectiveness. 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. A locked padlock 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. Napoleon received largepayments for providing the fake diplomas, in one case taking in a $30,000 wire transfer from a co-defendant in 2021. 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. Florida nursing schools sold thousands of fake diplomas totaling $100M 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. U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Clark is prosecuting this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture. Phone: (561)683-1400. Can You Be Referred to as a Doctor If You Earn a DNP? two in broward county and the palm beach school of nursing in west palm beach. The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) can also assist former students in locating information related to offsite storage of transcripts for schools that are no longer standing. 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. 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. 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. Your email address will not be published. This case is being prosecuted in conjunction with a related criminal matter in the District of Maryland. NOTE: International students applying for F1 Visa / I-20 are advised to contact the office Florida nursing schools are caught selling 7,600 fake diplomas 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. 12/20/2022) Record Copy - Records Management Duplicate - School/Department . Copy of pictured ID of adult student or parent guardian. EunideSanon managed Siena College. The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. Palm Beach International College | Admissions 25 people were charged wednesday . The School District of Palm Beach County serves more than 189,000 students who speak 150 languages and dialects. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. 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. Nursing School Scam Leads To Indictments For Palm Beach County Investigators said about a third of the people actually are practicing medicine. 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. U.S. Attorneys Office 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. Ten people helped recruit people looking to obtain fake degrees. FBI Miami and HHS-OIG Miami investigated these cases. NOTE:If you exited the District within the past 3 years, contact the last school you attended to process your records/transcript request.Official GED transcripts: visit the Florida Department of EducationRequest GEDPostsecondary Career & Technical Education (CTE) transcriptsfrom the Department of Adult & Community Education: complete aPostsecondary Career & Technical Education (CTE) Transcript Requestform. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. from outside of the United States of America. Southern District of Florida | Fraudulent Nursing Diploma Scheme Leads "What do we learn when somebody gets injured? Etienne is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Request in PersonIn person requests are BY APPOINTMENT ONLY - to view the calendar for times/dates available and to schedule your visit. 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.. Closed Palm Beach School of Nursing linked to federal arrests in diploma scheme, Tornado that tore through Palm Beach Gardens had winds of at least 100 mph, Trees toppled, homes damaged, cars overturned in tornado, Tornado tosses boat from cove onto lawn in North Palm Beach, Unofficial Boca Bash to draw thousands of boaters Sunday, Cleanup underway after tornado rips through North Palm Beach neighborhood, Verhaeghe scores in OT as Panthers eliminate Bruins from playoffs, Butler, Heat start semifinals with 108-101 win over Knicks, National Weather Service upgrades tornado to EF2 with peak winds of 130 mph. Many of those people may lose their certification but likely won't be criminally charged, federal officials said. All rights reserved. Johanah Napoleon, the school's president, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as wire fraud in 2022. For more information, visitpalmbeachstate.edu/admissions/credit-by-exam. official to Admissions at. 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. admissions@palmbeachstate.edu. Florida nursing schools sold 7,600 fake diplomas worth more than $100 Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. The overall scheme involved the distribution of more than 7,600 fake nursing diplomas issued at a cost of about $114 million. According to authorities, the . 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 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. Fraudulent degrees qualified recipients to take the national nursing board exam. "Tuition, I paid $16,000, not to mention I had to pay $99 to sit the exam," Brown said. at admissions@palmbeachstate.edu. Individuals with prior criminal circumstances on their background check may not be eligible for licensure or employment. attended. Nurses are frustrated by months-long delays to get licensed in some states, Short-staffed and COVID-battered, U.S. hospitals are hiring more foreign nurses. Main Office: 2023 Emerald X, LLC. : 23-60005-Cr-Smith, U.S. v. Sanon, case no. Fourteen of those charged are linked to the Palm Beach County school. The other 10 charged were listed as recruiters, including seven from New Jersey or New York. 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. A current Nursing school in West Palm Beach named in fraudulent diploma - MSN Latest posts by Amanda Bucceri Androus, RN, BSN. Attend class in person, virtually Transcripts need to show a graduation date to be considered complete and official. Fraudulent Nursing Diploma Scheme Leads to Federal Charges Against 25 No students were named in the indictments. Multiple state officials yanked dozens of nursing licenses | Miami Herald Two co-defendants, Geralda Adrien and Woosvelt Predestin, also completed online courses on behalf of the fake degree purchasers. An official website of the United States government. If they passed, they were able to obtain licenses and jobs in various states,. Executive Director / President. 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. West Palm Beach, FL 33417. Stop the bleeding. 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. Santaluces Community High / Homepage - School District of Palm Beach County "They are monsters because you have to have clinical experience to do medication, to give IV, you can kill somebody," she said. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. 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 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. 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. South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. South Florida schools accused of selling fake nursing diplomas To be considered for a credit evaluation, applicants must have 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. Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations Some schools will accept notarized copies of your own documents along with "proof" of the school's destruction. PLEASE NOTE: The contents of this website are for informational purposes only. Twenty-five defendants, including school directors and diploma recipients, were charged in the scheme and each face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The College will 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 School of Nursing - Palm Beach Atlantic University 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. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. This case is being prosecuted in conjunction with a related criminal matter in the District of Maryland. Exams were taken in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Texas. With the help of the fake degrees the nurses found jobs at nursing homes that took in Medicare and Medicaid-eligible patients. NBC 6's Xochitl Hernandez has more on what the student had to say in an interview you'll see Only on 6. 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. Diplomas are not accepted as proof of high school completion or in place of 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. Theres Still Is Time to Take the IAHSS Foundation 2023 Crime Survey! They were charged with conspiring to and committing wire fraud, prosecutors said. 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. 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. 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,. 2018 School Referendum (Expiring 6/30/2023), African, African American, Latino, Holocaust, and Gender Studies, Elementary, Middle and High School Subject Areas, ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), Implementation Plan for Required Instruction, Instructional Materials (Textbook) Adoption, International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs, McKinney-Vento Program (MVP) - Homelessness, Physical Education and Health (Elementary Schools), Physical Education, Health and Drivers Ed (Middle and High Schools), Reproductive Health and Disease Education, School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting (SESIR), Student Internship and Volunteer Opportunities, 2021-2022 School Grades and School Improvement Ratings, Certification - Military Veterans Pathway, Fingerprint/ Background Check/ Drug Testing, Compensation and Employee Information Services, Deputy Superintendent and Chief of Schools, Multicultural Education and Migrant Education Programs (MEP), (Diversity) Small, Minority and Women-Owned - Vendors/Suppliers, Coordinated Planning Agencies - Vendors / Suppliers, Link to Student Transcript / Records Request, Student Transcript / Records Request PBSD 1457. 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.. The charges speak to the purpose of a nursing license which is to protect the public from harm by setting minimum qualifications and competencies. 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. It is alleged that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an LPN/VN. minutes, too. 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. Registration for summer & fall classes is open! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Officials are trying to track down nurses with fake degrees from Fla Federal indictment over fake Florida nursing diplomas leaves 26 Upon request, Admissions staff will Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. Authorities said students paid between $6,000 and $18,000 for fake transcripts and certificates. The fake diplomas and transcripts qualified those who purchased them to sit for the national nursing board exam. Out of State Public Universities and Colleges. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. or transfer students, to submit all official academic transcripts from every high The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. submitted as .pdf attachments. Individuals bought their fake nursing credentials for up to $15,000. 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. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. The charges speak to the purpose of a nursing license which is to protect the public from harm by setting minimum qualifications and competencies. Our mission is to educate, affirm, and inspire each student in an equity-embedded school system. list of approved agencies is located at www.NACES.org/members (Applications for agencies Now theyve filed complaints with their state attorneys to try and see how they can get their money back. Campus District Upcoming Events april27 Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. Submit & Share. Admissions | Submit/Request Transcripts - Palm Beach State College The students paid a total of $114 million for the fake degrees between 2016 and 2021, the newspaper reported. The bleeding here is to stop those schools from being able to put more fraudulent diplomas out in the public sphere.". Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. 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. Napoleon already pleaded guilty to wire and health care fraud charges, the DOJ said. 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. Currently, all schools are obligated to maintain transcript records indefinitely. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. The defendants each face up to 20 years in prison. or both | Get started now. Have a question about Government Services? The School of Nursing | Palm Beach Atlantic University Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 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," U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe said in Miami, adding that "a fraud scheme like this erodes public trust in our health care system.". Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts fromSiena College. "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. 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. "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. First, create an account, then place the order. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. 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). Exams were taken in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Texas. 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 . Crimes such as these unfortunately continue to spring up, especially in this area. RELATED: Considering & Choosing a Nursing School. 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. : 23-60012-Cr-Singhal. The Department of Justice along with the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General carried out the investigation, dubbed Operation Nightingale. 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). 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. 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. There is a $5.00 non-refundable fee for each official transcript requested. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Sacred Heart International Institute, U.S. v. Jean, et al., case no. "The most important thing for us was to make sure, to the extent were talking about health care, is that we stop the bleeding," Lapointe said. Prez said investigators have not found, however, that any of the nurses caused harm to patients. Request for Student 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.