Three former South Florida nursing schools are accused of an alleged nursing accreditation scheme that awarded thousands of fake unearned nursing diplomas to hopeful nursing students. In connection with this scheme, over 24 individuals have been charged for their alleged involvement with the multimillion-dollar operation.

The three South Florida schools include Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing, and Sacred Heart International Institute. According to the Justice Department, the schools charged students anywhere from $10,000 to $17,000 in exchange for unearned nursing diplomas and transcripts. Over 7,600 fake diplomas were handed out, resulting in over $114 million being collected by the schools. The scheme is alleged to have taken place between 2016 and 2021.

After obtaining the fake nursing degrees, recipients were then able to sit for their national nursing board exams. Upon completion of the exam, diploma holders were then able to move forward with obtaining employment as licensed nurses. The Department of Justice explains that applicants who purchase the fake diplomas and transcripts were able to move on and obtain RN (registered nurse) or LPN/VN (licensed practical nurses and vocational nurses) licensure in states across the nation.

According to a report by the Miami Herald, about 2,400 of the 7,600 students who obtained the bogus degrees went on to pass their exams and obtain licensure. Many of the students who passed their exams were from New York and are likely practicing in New York.

Federal officials shared that a nationwide effort to identify the nurses with the bogus degrees has begun as the nursing boards in all 50 states have been notified. Once the nurses have been identified, they will likely lose their certification but will not be criminally charged, according to officials.

The Department of Justice shares that while nurses with bogus nursing degrees are out in the field practicing, no cases of patients who were harmed by these nurses have been reported.

Many of the applicants who were able to obtain the fraudulent diplomas in Florida came from out of state, including Georgia, Ohio, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Markenzy Lapointe, shared that the uncovered fraud “erodes public trust in our healthcare system," and has “tarnished the reputation of nurses who actually complete the demanding clinical and course work required to obtain their professional licenses and employment."

If found guilty, all individuals charged in connection to the fraud face a maximum of 20 years in prison. The schools where the fraud took place have since closed down.