43 Nigerian nurses indicted for certificate forgery in US

The Texas Board of Nursing in the United States has filed “formal charges” against 75 persons for fraudulently obtaining educational credentials.

The board released a 75-person probe list on their website over issues bordering on falsification of certificates, out of which 43 of the names were identified as nurses of Nigeria origin.

The people, who obtained the fake nursing credentials, were reported to have used them to qualify for the National Nursing Board Exam, information on the Board’s website regarding the investigation dubbed “Operation Nightingale”, disclosed.

Upon successful completion of the board exam, the nursing applicants reportedly became eligible to obtain license in various states to work as a Registered Nurse (RN) or a Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse (LPN/VN).

A statement on the website disclosed that on January 25, 2023, the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and law enforcement partners launched a multi-state coordinated law enforcement action to apprehend individuals engaged in a scheme to sell false and fraudulent nursing degree diplomas and transcripts.

The statement reads in part: “The alleged scheme involved the selling of fake and fraudulent nursing degree diplomas and transcripts obtained from accredited Florida-based nursing schools to Registered Nurse (RN) and Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse (LPN/VN) candidates.

“This list will be updated continuously as the Board receives additional information about the fraudulent diploma/transcript scheme.”

The Board added that it is working, diligently, with all appropriate nursing regulatory bodies, nursing education program providers, accreditation bodies and authorities to detect, investigate and resolve these matters as quickly as possible, including seeking revocation of any licensure obtained through fraudulent means.

“Please note that formal charges are not a final disciplinary action, and a nurse is permitted to work, as a nurse, while formal charges are pending,” it added.