Fraudulent Nursing Diploma Scheme Leads to Federal Charges and the Closing of Three Florida Nursing Schools

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Fraudulent Nursing Diploma Scheme Leads to Federal Charges and the Closing of Three Florida Nursing Schools

Crime Alert (March 31, 2023) – In late January, the Department of Justice announced the results of a multi-state investigation dubbed "Operation Nightingale." The investigation focused on the alleged selling of fraudulent transcripts and nursing degrees from three Florida-based nursing schools, which are now closed. The bogus diplomas and transcripts permitted individuals to apply to take the nurse licensure examination (NCLEX) and, if they successfully passed, permitted these individuals to obtain a license to practice nursing as a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse. It was reported that more than 7,600 fraudulent nursing diplomas were issued by these Florida-based programs to individuals across the United States. The Kansas State Board of Nursing and other nursing regulatory bodies have partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Justice Department to identify any possible graduates from the fraudulent nursing programs who may have obtained a nursing license in Kansas. KSBN shared this response regarding Operation Nightingale included in its entirety below. We appreciate the work that the KSBN is doing to follow up on this issue. KSBN advises any specific questions be directed to Carol Moreland.

KSBN Response re: Operation Nightingale (nursing school fraud)
The mission of the Kansas State Board of Nursing (KSBN) is to assure the citizens of Kansas safe and competent practice by nurses and mental health technicians. KSBN and other nursing regulatory bodies have partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Officer of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Justice Department to identify any possible graduates from the fraudulent nursing programs that may have a nursing license in Kansas. We have identified less than 10 individuals. It is important to understand that the schools involved in these investigations do have legitimate graduates. The allegedly fraudulent transcripts and diplomas provided to individuals who do not attend or successfully complete the program may look just like those issued to legitimate graduates. Nursing regulatory bodies in affected states have been investigating individual cases and are taking appropriate action in accordance with their state laws and due process. KSBN will conduct investigations with the identified individuals to identify if the education credentials are legitimate. After our investigation, if KSBN has taken action against an individual’s license, the employer will be notified if they are enrolled in the free Nursys e-Notify notification service.

KSBN and other nursing regulatory bodies in the United States are constantly working to ensure that all nurses and candidates are legitimate. We are committed to our mission of public protection and are working to fully resolve this matter. Nursing is a very specialized profession and there are no short cuts in nursing.

--Karen Braman

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