Southern District of Florida Email Us. MIAMI Federal authorities in Florida have charged 25 people with participating in a wire fraud scheme that created an illegal shortcut for aspiring nurses to get licensed and find employment. *Diplomas are not accepted as proof of high school completion or in place of transcripts. U.S. v. Witherspoon, et al., case no. RegisteredNursing.org does not guarantee the accuracy or results of any of this information. 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. Authorities said students paid between $6,000 and $18,000 for fake transcripts and certificates. 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. According to the OIG, the scheme general worked in three parts: 'Producing the poison & selling the cure':Group ranks health care industry's lowlights in 2022, COVID vaccination:FDA vaccine panel to consider annual COVID shots, Sober home fraud:Florida doc sentenced to 20 years in prison. For more information visit palmbeachstate.edu/international. Napoleon received largepayments for providing the fake diplomas, in one case taking in a $30,000 wire transfer from a co-defendant in 2021. 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! High School Graduate GED Student Home Education Graduate Out of Country Credentials College/University Transfer Student Have a question about Government Services? Please note that Palm Beach State College will only accept original educational records Attend class in person, virtually Etienne is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Request for Student Records. Related: HHS: Insiders Pose Significant Cybersecurity Threat to Healthcare. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. : 23-60007-Cr-Singhal. 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 investigation turned up about $114 million dollars of fake nursing diplomas that were sold across three formerly accredited schools: Palm Beach School of Nursing. She said a normal nursing school program lasts 22 months and can equate to four years at a large university. 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. Students shouldcomplete anonline request for Florida GED Transcript. Lapointe added that "a fraud scheme like this erodes public trust in our health care system.". a course-by-course commercial evaluation completed by an approved agency. First, create an account, then place the order. Some schools will accept notarized copies of your own documents along with "proof" of the school's destruction. Executive Director / President. The school was licensed with the Florida Board of. 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.. About 7,600 students paid an average of $15,000 for bogus diplomas, according to prosecutors. This case is being prosecuted in conjunction with a related criminal matter in the District of Maryland. FBI Miami and HHS-OIG Miami investigated these cases. Crimes such as these unfortunately continue to spring up, especially in this area. Take a Look, Police Reunite Parents With Toddler Found Wandering in Miramar, A Toxic Plant Was Removed From a Miami Park. In 2021, an undercover FBI employee met with Fort Lauderdale businessman Geralda Adrien at her Fort Lauderdale office. EunideSanon managed Siena College. Home / Nursing Articles / How Do I Get Transcripts from a Nursing School That Has Closed? In 2021, an undercover FBI employee met with Fort Lauderdale businessman Geralda Adrien at her Fort Lauderdale office. Carleen Health Institute of South Florida Nursing and Healthcare Programs Plantation Campus 8320 West Sunrise Blvd, Suite #204 Plantation, FL 33322 Get directions West Palm Beach Campus 4645 Gun Club Road, #11 West Palm Beach, FL 33415 (561)656-4720 Get directions Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. If you do not want your email addresses released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to this entity. What If My Nursing School Isnt Accredited? 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 can be sent via secure PDF directly from the issuing institution to Admissions No students were named in the indictments. "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. The schools involved Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing and Sacred Heart International Institute are now closed. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. About 2,400 of the 7,600 students eventually passed their licensing exams mainly in New York, federal officials said. The indictment alleges that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an RN or LPN/VN. school or college/university attended. The bleeding here is to stop those schools from being able to put more fraudulent diplomas out in the public sphere.". Mailing address to submit official sealed transcripts: Palm Beach State College 4200 Congress Avenue, MS#13Lake Worth, FL 33461, Start of Top Menu - Press Esc key to Close. 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. [email protected], Southern District of Florida MIAMI 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. Out of State Public Universities and Colleges. 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. If you see that we have records for a school that you attended and would like to see if we have your transcript, please complete the Transcript Request Form Transcript Request Form (PDF). 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. The seven nurses used the diplomas to become licensed nurses in Ohio, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. or both | Get started now. 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. 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 other group included owners, operators and employees of nursing schools to 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. (payment by credit card only). The Florida Board of Nursing requires a criminal background check for all applicants seeking licensure. Klicken Sie auf Alle ablehnen, wenn Sie nicht mchten, dass wir und unsere Partner Cookies und personenbezogene Daten fr diese zustzlichen Zwecke verwenden. 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. "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. Your email address will not be published. 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. 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. 4th Street 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. 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. 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.". "Plus I paid the plane fare, hotel, so roughly $25,000.". Core Values Christ-centered Florida Public High Schools and Charter schools Please request that transcripts be submitted electronically via FASTER. Latest posts by Amanda Bucceri Androus, RN, BSN. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. Etienne is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. minutes, too. The Palm Beach County school, which operated on 2695 N. Military Trail in West Palm Beach, offered an Associate in Science degree. 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. He said it's particularly disturbing that more than 7,600 people around the country obtained fake credentials and were potentially in critical health care roles treating patients. An official website of the United States government. 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. 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. 2023 Emerald X, LLC. Napoleon already pleaded guilty to wire and health care fraud charges, the DOJ said. More than $100 million worth of bogus nursing diplomas and transcripts were sold to 7,600 individuals who paid an average of $15,000 to obtain them. The copies will need to be certified All rights reserved. Fraudulent degrees qualified recipients to take the national nursing board exam. FBI Miami and HHS-OIG Miami investigated these cases. : 23-60007-Cr-Singhal . Sacred Heart International Institute. 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 at [email protected]. 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:[email protected]: (561) 434-8550Fax: (561) 434-8660. 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. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. 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 $100 million or roughly $15,000 per diploma, federal prosecutors said. After passing the exam, they became eligible to become licensed in several states, where they eventually found jobs as licensednurses. Main Office: 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. RELATED: Considering & Choosing a Nursing School. 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. And when I asked for the transcript, they sent us a fake transcript," she said. hide caption. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS 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. 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. Register today to attend this free webcast! Exams were taken in Florida, New York, New Jersey and Texas. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Sacred Heart International Institute, U.S. v. Jean, et al., case no. To be evaluated, all required transcripts need to be submitted from all institutions ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. 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. It is alleged that these recruiter defendants then arranged with Palm Beach School of Nursings 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. 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. 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. Instead, contact this office by phone or in writing. 12/20/2022) Record Copy - Records Management Duplicate - School/Department . "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. If they passed, they were able to obtain licenses and jobs in various states,. We are an A-rated School District with 335 Choice & Career Programs. To order a high school transcript electronically, visitParchment. U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. We encourage our customers to save time and take advantage of online services by going to Parchment. Transcripts need to show a graduation date to be considered complete and official. Amanda Bucceri Androus is a Registered Nurse from Sacramento, California. and Pharmacy Technician Certification. U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. official to Admissions at. How Do Nurses Protect Themselves from Highly Infectious Patients? South Florida Sports Headlines Newsletter. In fact, the aspiring nurses never completed the necessary courses and clinicals. 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. Crimes such as these unfortunately continue to spring up, especially in this area. In coordination with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG continues to aggressively investigate bad actors who so brazenly disregard the well-being of others in order to enrich themselves fraudulently.. Note: Transcripts need to show a graduation date to be considered complete and official. 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. Prez said investigators have not found, however, that any of the nurses caused harm to patients. Palm Beach State College prefers that transcripts be submitted electronically from 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. Transcripts should be complete showing all final grades and if applicable graduation Ten people helped recruit people looking to obtain fake degrees. 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.. from outside of the United States of America. 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. 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. The philosophy of the School of Nursing at Palm Beach Atlantic University is one that is Christ-centered and focused on the success of the students . Recruiters would bring "students" from other states to get the "shortcut" documents from the South Florida school. West Palm Beach, FL 33417. 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. Online tracking is available 24/7. We will temporarily accept (due to COVID-19) clear copies of your high school diploma What Happens When a Nurse Has a Substance Abuse Problem? 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 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. need To report waste, fraud, corruption, or abuse, please call the Inspector General Hotline: (855) 561-1010. such as Joseph Silny and Associates, Inc. or World Education Services can be accessed 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, recruiting, and criminal activity to hand out fake nursing diplomas and transcripts. The bleeding here is to stop those schools from being able to put more fraudulent diplomas out in the public sphere.". Dr. Rebekah Bernard with the nonprofit Physicians for Patient Protection said its not surprising this is happening after the pandemic. Phone: (561)683-1400. Adrien and Predestin are also named as co-conspirators in the Siena College case. 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. 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. : 23-60010-Cr-Smith, U.S. v. Etienne, case no. 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. A locked padlock 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. 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. 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. Submission of college transcripts from postsecondary institutions outside the United The students paid a total of $114 million for the fake degrees between 2016 and 2021, the newspaper reported. 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). Telephone or Fax requests will not be honored. Upon request, Admissions staff will also accept certified copies of the documents. Campus District Upcoming Events april27 The other group included owners, operators and employees of nursing schools to fake diplomas and transcripts. Student and Staff Safety: Addressing the Significant Rise in Mental Health Needs and Violence, Beyond Threat Assessment: Managing Threats with Appropriate Follow-up, Monitoring & Training, Mental Health in America: Test Your Awareness with This Quiz, Test Your Hospital Safety and Security Knowledge with These 9 Questions, IS-800 D National Response Framework Exam Questions. AICE, AP, IB, or CLEP Please submit these transcripts electronically to, Institutional Research & Effectiveness (IRE), online request for Florida GED Transcript, palmbeachstate.edu/admissions/credit-by-exam, Please request that transcripts be submitted electronically via, Transcripts can be sent via Secure PDF directly from the issuing institution school Stop the bleeding. No students were named in the indictments. It is alleged that these defendants solicited and recruited individuals who sought nursing credentials to gain employment as an LPN/VN. 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). U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. "I like to help people," said Brown, who concealed her face and didn't want to give her real name. "They are monsters because you have to have clinical experience to do medication, to give IV, you can kill somebody," she said. two in broward county and the palm beach school of nursing in west palm beach. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts fromSiena College. 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. 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. Our mission is to educate, affirm, and inspire each student in an equity-embedded school system. directly). Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters. 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. 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. Theres Still Is Time to Take the IAHSS Foundation 2023 Crime Survey! EunideSanon managed Siena College. 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. Parent signatures for minors. She was not named in the indictment. 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. The U.S. Department of Justice announced . Nurse Suicides: Unveiling the Shrouds of Silence. U.S. Attorneys Office "What do we learn when somebody gets injured? U.S. v. Russ, et al., case no. Charges Related to Fraudulent Nursing Diplomas and Transcripts from Palm Beach School of Nursing. Fax Line: (305) 530-7679. Out of State Public Schools and Private Schools Transcripts can be sent via Secure PDF directly from the school official to Admissions Recruiters would bring "students" from other states to get the "shortcut" documents from the South Florida school.
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palm beach school of nursing transcripts
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