Twenty-five people have been accused of participating in a wire-fraud scheme that created an illegal licensing and employment shortcut for aspiring nurses. Three recently unsealed indictments returned by a South Florida federal grand jury and two informations filed by federal prosecutors, charge that the 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 bogus documents enabled purchasers to sit for the national nursing board exam and, after passing it, to obtain licenses and jobs as RNs and LPN/VNs. 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, Palm Beach School of Nursing in Palm Beach County, and Sacred Heart International Institute in Broward County. These schools are now closed [1].
The scheme was investigated by FBI Miami and HHS-OIG Miami with help from 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.
Charges Related to Siena College
The charging documents describe Siena College as a 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. Eugene Sanon managed Siena College. 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 [2]. The indictment alleges that the trio solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN. 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. These fake documents represented that the aspiring RN and LPN/VN candidates had attended Siena’s nursing program and completed the necessary courses and clinicals to obtain RN or LPN/VN diplomas. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. The information against Sanon alleges that he and others sold thousands of fake Siena College nursing diplomas and educational transcripts to people who used them to obtain RN or LPN/VN licenses in various states and nursing jobs with unwitting health care providers throughout the country [3].
Charges Related to Palm Beach School of Nursing
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. 
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. The indictment alleges that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN.
It is alleged that these recruiter defendants then arranged with Palm Beach School of Nursing’s 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. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. 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 [4]. In a related case, Napoleon was previously charged and has pled guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud and wire fraud [5].
Charges Related to Sacred Heart International Institute
The charging documents describe Sacred Heart International Institute as a Broward County School licensed by the Florida Board of Nursing that offered program designed to prepare students for employment as practical nurses. The indictment charges Ludnie Jean of Harris County, Texas; Serge Jean of Harris County, Texas; Simon Itaman of Harris County, Texas; Anna Itaman of Harris County, Texas; Rhomy Louis of Suffolk County, N.Y.; and Nadege Auguste of Broward County with conspiring to and committing wire fraud. It is alleged that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an LPN/VN. These recruiters then arranged with Charles Etienne, Sacred Heart’s 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. The aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. Etienne is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 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 with unwitting health care providers throughout the country [7,8].
Danger Noted
Government officials have pointed out that the scheme posed serious danger to patients who are exposed to care from untrained nurses:
- Acting Special Agent in Charge Chad Yarbrough, FBI Miami, said: “There are over 7,600 people around the country with fraudulent nursing credentials who are potentially in critical health care roles treating patients.” [1]
- Special Agent in Charge Omar Pérez Aybar of Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), 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.” [1]
In November 2022, the Delaware Board of Nursing sent annulment letters to 26 people who had used one of the fake credentials to obtain a license [9].
The defendants face up to 20 years in prison if convicted [1].
References
- Fraudulent nursing diploma scheme leads to federal charges against 25 defendants. U.S. Dept. of Justice news release, Jan 25, 2023.
- Indictment. U.S.A. v. Witherspoon and others. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida case number 0:23-cr-60005, filed Jan 12, 2023.
- Information. U.S.A. v. Eunide Sanon, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida case number 0:23-cr-60013, filed Jan 23, 2023.
- Indictment. U.S.A. v. Gail Russ and others, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida case number 0:23-cr-60007, filed Jan 12, 2023.
- Information. U.S.A. v. Johanah Napoleon. U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland case number 8:22-cr-00185, filed May 16, 2022.
- Plea agreement and factual basis in support of plea. U.S.A. v. Johanah Napoleon .U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida case numbers 0:22-cr-60111 and 0:22-60118, filed Nov 22, 2022.
- Indictment. U.S.A. v. Ludnei Jean and others. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida case number 0:23-cr-60010, filed Jan 12, 2023.
- Information. U.S. v. Charles Etienne. U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida case number 0:23-cr-60012, filed Jan 23, 2023.
- Delaware Nurses Association statement on fraudulent nursing degree schemes. Delaware Nurses Association press release, Jan 26, 2023.
