Florida nursing schools sold 7,600 fake diplomas for $100 million: U.S. Attorney

Three nursing schools in Florida sold more than 7,600 fake diplomas in a scheme that made them more than $100 million, federal prosecutors said on Thursday. 

Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing, and Sacred Heart International sold thousands of diplomas and transcripts for as much as $15,000 each to people seeking to obtain a license to become registered nurses. 

While the diplomas did not immediately give the buyers a nursing license, they allowed those who bought them to sit for the national nursing board exam and skip "hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of clinical training," said Markenzy Lapointe, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida.

According to the Justice Department, “recruiters” with the schools would approach potential candidates and conspire with the schools to create and distribute the fake documents. 

Twenty-five defendants, including school directors and diploma recipients, were charged as being part of the scheme and are facing up to 20 years in prison. 

According to prosecutors, the scheme put patient safety at risk because it allowed aspiring nurses to bypass the required training to become licensed in the profession. 

"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," said Chad Yarbrough, an acting special agent for the FBI in Miami.

"Not only is this a public safety concern, but 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 Lapointe added. 

The investigation into the scheme was carried out by the Department of Justice and the Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General. All three schools have been closed.