A Nigerian national, Patrick Nwaokwu, has been sentenced to 21 months imprisonment in the United States for his involvement in a fraudulent scheme centred on the sale of fake nursing diplomas, transcripts and professional licences.
Nwaokwu, a resident of Laurel, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman after pleading guilty to wire fraud charges.
The conviction was announced in a statement published on the X handle of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday.
According to U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes, the convict collaborated with others to deceive healthcare regulators and individuals through the distribution of fraudulent nursing credentials.
Court filings revealed that Nwaokwu and his accomplices sold fake nursing diplomas and academic transcripts to persons seeking to enter the healthcare profession, while also helping them secure nursing licences fraudulently.
Investigators disclosed that the operation was carried out through multiple institutions, including a Virginia-based school identified as Nursing School 1 and the Palm Beach School of Nursing in Florida.
Authorities estimated that the scheme caused losses exceeding $1.5m.
The FBI said Nwaokwu began working with Musa Bangura, a 67-year-old Virginia resident, in 2018 to recruit individuals interested in obtaining nursing qualifications through illegal means.
The conspirators allegedly issued forged documents claiming that buyers had completed mandatory coursework and clinical training.
Investigators further revealed that after Nursing School 1 lost its operational licence, the suspects backdated academic records to falsely indicate that recipients attended the institution before the licence withdrawal.
In another phase of the operation, Nwaokwu reportedly teamed up with Johanah Napoleon and Geralda Adrien, both residents of Florida, to distribute fake Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse certificates to clients in Maryland.
Prosecutors said the syndicate charged approximately $17,000 for RN certificates, while LPN certificates sold for between $6,000 and $10,000.
Buyers were also allegedly coached on how to manipulate their applications for the National Council Licensure Examination.
Authorities warned that the fraud allowed unqualified individuals to secure nursing licences and obtain jobs in the healthcare sector, thereby placing patients at serious risk.
According to prosecutors, the scheme “recklessly exposed patients to potential harm, serious bodily injury and death.”
One of Nwaokwu’s co-conspirators, Bangura, had earlier been sentenced to 13 months imprisonment for his role in the fraud.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General for their involvement in the investigation, while also praising Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy for prosecuting the case.
