There are two categories of defendants. 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. 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. We encourage our customers to save time and take advantage of online services by going to Parchment. The U.S. Department of Justice announced . No students were named in the indictments. 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. West Palm Beach, FL 33417. 'Operation Nightingale' also targeted 2 schools in Broward County. First, create an account, then place the order. 4th Street to ensure that transcripts are submitted a minimum of two weeks prior to the specific 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. Nurses certified in New York are allowed to practice in Florida and many other states. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. 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. The Department of Justice along with the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General carried out the investigation, dubbed Operation Nightingale. 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. U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. To order a high school transcript electronically, visitParchment. Diplomas are not accepted as proof of high school completion or in place of transcripts. 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. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. Related: HHS: Insiders Pose Significant Cybersecurity Threat to Healthcare. Required fields are marked *. The other 10 charged were listed as recruiters, including seven from New Jersey or New York. 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. RegisteredNursing.org does not guarantee the accuracy or results of any of this information. 22-60111-Cr-Smith and 22-60118-Cr-Smith). 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.. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. For example, the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE), which provides oversight of California's private postsecondary education institutions, is a depository for many closed schools and former students can request official transcripts from the archives. There is a $25.00 non-refundable fee for each duplicate diploma requested. Promote excellence in nursing by enabling future and current nurses with the education and employment resources they need to succeed. Adrien and Predestin are also named as co-conspirators in the Siena College case. Register today to attend this free webcast! The indictment alleges that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN. This case is being prosecuted in conjunction with a related criminal matter in the District of Maryland. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. 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. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The school was licensed with the Florida Board of. This discussion will help participants analyze, understand, and assess their own program effectiveness. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. Main Office: Campus District Upcoming Events april27 "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. To be considered for a credit evaluation, applicants must have Currently, all schools are obligated to maintain transcript records indefinitely. 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. Napoleon was previously charged by information and has pled guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, as well as wire fraud (case nos. Our mission is to educate, affirm, and inspire each student in an equity-embedded school system. 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. 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). 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. The School District of Palm Beach County serves more than 189,000 students who speak 150 languages and dialects. : 23-60013-Cr-Moreno. States is optional. Siena College was a school in Broward County, Florida that was licensed by the states board of nursing and its independent education commission to offer practical nursing and Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs. Request for Student Records. 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. Photo: google. One nurse worked at a Veterans Affairs-run home. What To Do When Your School No Longer Physically Exists, Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Programs (AGNP), Womens Health Nurse Practitioner Programs, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), How Nurses Can Promote Vaccines Without Promoting Vaccines, CDC Estimates of Nurse & Healthcare Worker COVID-19 Cases Are Likely Understated, How Nurses Are Keeping Up With Practice Agreement Changes During COVID-19. Napoleon received largepayments for providing the fake diplomas, in one case taking in a $30,000 wire transfer from a co-defendant in 2021. The bleeding here is to stop those schools from being able to put more fraudulent diplomas out in the public sphere.". school or college/university attended. EunideSanon managed Siena College. Official websites use .gov 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. program application deadline to ensure timely review. 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. How Do Nurses Protect Themselves from Highly Infectious Patients? The charges speak to the purpose of a nursing license which is to protect the public from harm by setting minimum qualifications and competencies. Transcripts must be ordered online through services provided by Credentials Solutions HHS: Insiders Pose Significant Cybersecurity Threat to Healthcare, Patients Sue Prince Georges Hospital After OB-GYN Faked Identity, 5 Ways Tech Can Help Patients Feel Safer in Your Healthcare Facility, Ex Hospital Respiratory Therapist Jennifer Hall Pleads Guilty in Deaths of 2 Patients, FBI 2022 Active Shooter Stats: Last Year U.S. Had Fewer Incidents but More Casualties. 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. AICE, AP, IB, or CLEP Please submit these transcripts electronically to transcriptevaluation@palmbeachstate.edu. For more information, visitpalmbeachstate.edu/admissions/credit-by-exam. They were charged with conspiring to and committing wire fraud, prosecutors said. Lapointe added that "a fraud scheme like this erodes public trust in our health care system.". also accept certified copies of the documents. If you do not want your email addresses released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. 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. 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. The students paid a total of $114 million for the fake degrees between 2016 and 2021, the newspaper reported. 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. Krystal Lopez of Palm Beach County. All trademarks are the property of their respective trademark holders. at transcriptevaluation@palmbeachstate.edu. The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. 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. 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. : 23-60007-Cr-Singhal. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. A locked padlock If they passed, they were able to obtain licenses and jobs in various states,. She said a normal nursing school program lasts 22 months and can equate to four years at a large university. Applicants must meet the following requirements before being accepted: Be at least 18 years old. All rights reserved. submitted as .pdf attachments. Fraudulent degrees qualified recipients to take the national nursing board exam. 22-60111-Cr-Smith and 22-60118-Cr-Smith). This new webcast will discuss how campus public safety leaders can effectively incorporate Clery Act, Title IX, customer service, helicopter parents, emergency notification, town-gown relationships, brand management, Greek Life, student recruitment, faculty, and more into their roles and develop the necessary skills to successfully lead their departments. date. U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. A credit card is needed for theeTranscriptfee, which is $5.90. 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. The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. The fake diplomas and transcripts qualified those who purchased them to sit for the national nursing board exam. PLEASE NOTE: The contents of this website are for informational purposes only. or both | Get started now. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. Lois M. Gackenheimer Richards, PhD Ed, MSN, RN. 99 N.E. directly). What If My Nursing School Isnt Accredited? two in broward county and the palm beach school of nursing in west palm beach. 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 Countywith conspiring to and committing wire fraud. Practical Nursing Program Specific Requirements 1. 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). 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. When Lucy Brown signed up for the Palm Beach School of Nursing, she thought she made the right choice. Lock An official website of the United States government. 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. Transcripts can be sent via secure PDF directly from the issuing institution to Admissions