When Lucy Brown signed up for the Palm Beach School of Nursing, she thought she made the right choice. To be considered for a credit evaluation, applicants must have There is a $5.00 non-refundable fee for each official transcript requested. 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). If they passed, they were able to obtain licenses and jobs in various states, prosecutors said. Exams were taken in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Texas. Practical Nursing Program Specific Requirements 1. all right, chris, thank you. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) / RECORDS MANAGEMENT. 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. "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. In her spare time she likes to read, travel, write, and spend time with her husband and two children. "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. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. The College will South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. The indictment alleges that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); In this webinar, attendees will learn the observable behaviors people exhibit as they head down a path of violence so we can help prevent the preventable. What Happens When a Nurse Has a Substance Abuse Problem? Now Brown is left wondering about all the money she spent and whether or not she can get it all back. Adrien and Predestin are also named as co-conspirators in the Siena College case. The defendants each face up to 20 years in prison. directly). to request a transcript. 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. : 23-60013-Cr-Moreno. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Recruiters would bring "students" from other states to get the "shortcut" documents from the South Florida school. 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. The School District of Palm Beach County serves more than 189,000 students who speak 150 languages and dialects. 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. Lois M. Gackenheimer Richards, PhD Ed, MSN, RN. Brown, along with several students, left the program when they realized it was a scam. Note: Transcripts need to show a graduation date to be considered complete and official. Please note that Palm Beach State College will only accept original educational records Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. 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. 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. 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. Transcripts must be ordered online through services provided by Credentials Solutions Investigators said about a third of the people actually are practicing medicine. 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. U.S. Attorneys Office 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. Upon request, Admissions staff will This case is being prosecuted in conjunction with a related criminal matter in the District of Maryland. All rights reserved. She was not named in the indictment. The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. 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. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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. They were charged with conspiring to and committing wire fraud, prosecutors said. Postsecondary Career & Technical Education (CTE) Transcript Request, Blackboard Web Community Manager Privacy Policy (Updated). A copy of your driver license, state ID, or other form of photo identification showing your name, date of birth and signature is required. also accept certified copies of the documents. Tags Health News Florida nurse nursing school fraud arrest Broward County The fake diplomas and transcripts qualified those who purchased them to sit for the national nursing board exam. admissions@palmbeachstate.edu. The indictment alleges that Witherspoon, Sellu, and Bernadelsolicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN. 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. "I see it as rewarding.". 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. from outside of the United States of America. Individuals bought their fake nursing credentials for up to $15,000. . How Do I Get Transcripts from a Nursing School That Has Closed? the issuing institution. About 7,600 students paid an average of $15,000 for bogus diplomas, according to prosecutors. "What do we learn when somebody gets injured? Palm Beach State College (PBSC) requires all incoming students, whether first year Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison. Our Platform. 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.". Up to 7,600 fraudulent diplomas were sold at $15,000 each, authorities said. 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. date. Amanda Bucceri Androus is a Registered Nurse from Sacramento, California. 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. such as Joseph Silny and Associates, Inc. or World Education Services can be accessed 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. Practical Nursing Program Description don@palmbeachintcollege.com Associate Of Science In Nursing Degree Program (ASN) Diplomas are not accepted as proof of high school completion or in place of transcripts. The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. 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. Defendants in each case face wire fraud-related charges. 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 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 . No students were named in the indictments. Promote excellence in nursing by enabling future and current nurses with the education and employment resources they need to succeed. 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. MIAMI 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. The indictment alleges that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. Ten people helped recruit people looking to obtain fake degrees. Palm Beach State College (PBSC) requires all incoming students, whether first year or transfer students, to submit all official academic transcripts from every high school or college/university attended. The charges speak to the purpose of a nursing license which is to protect the public from harm by setting minimum qualifications and competencies. Prosecutors said the scheme also involved transcripts from the nursing schools for people seeking licenses and jobs as registered nurses and licensed practical/vocational nurses. Krystal Lopez of Palm Beach County. 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 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. Can You Be Referred to as a Doctor If You Earn a DNP? 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! U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. NOTICE: Under Florida law, email addresses are public record. Pay a non-refundable application fee of $150.00. Former student's full name (including maiden name, if applicable); Purpose of the request (employment, education or personal use), Address, fax or email to send the records to; and. U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. To order a high school transcript electronically, visitParchment. The overall scheme involved the distribution of more than 7,600 fake nursing diplomas issued at a cost of about $114 million. hide caption. We will temporarily accept (due to COVID-19) clear copies of your high school diploma The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. FBI Miami and HHS-OIG Miami investigated these cases. 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. 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). Theres Still Is Time to Take the IAHSS Foundation 2023 Crime Survey! : 23-60013-Cr-Moreno. Your email address will not be published. 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 fake diplomas and transcripts qualified those who purchased them to sit for the national nursing board exam. Related: HHS: Insiders Pose Significant Cybersecurity Threat to Healthcare. 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.". Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 33132, Telephone: (305) 961-9001
at transcriptevaluation@palmbeachstate.edu. A locked padlock They were charged with conspiring to and committing wire fraud, prosecutors said. 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. 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. Provide a copy of Driver's License, Passport, or State Issued ID Card and a Social Security Card. : 23-60007-Cr-Singhal. 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 Department of Justice along with the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General carried out the investigation, dubbed Operation Nightingale. According to charging documents, Sacred Heart International Institute was a Broward County School licensed by the Florida Board of Nursing that offered a nursing program designed to prepare students for employment as practical nurses. Applicants must meet the following requirements before being accepted: Be at least 18 years old. Fax: (561)683-6773. 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. If you attended a school that was destroyed in a natural disaster or by other unexpected means and credentials were not digitally stored outside of the institution, speak with the Registrar at your prospective school for guidance. Parent signatures for minors. 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. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. U.S. v. Witherspoon, et al., case no. 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 . Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Clark is prosecuting this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture. States is optional.
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