Nigerian jailed in US for selling fake nursing diplomas, licences

A Nigerian man, Patrick Nwaokwu, has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison in the United States for his role in a scheme involving the sale of fraudulent nursing diplomas, transcripts, and licences.

Nwaokwu of Laurel was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman to 21 months’ imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud.

According to a post on the FBI X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Kelly Hayes, said the convict conspired with others to defraud individuals and regulatory bodies within the healthcare system.

According to court documents, Nwaokwu “conspired with others to sell fraudulent nursing diplomas and educational transcripts to individuals,” and also “assisted the purchasers with fraudulently obtaining nursing licensures they needed to attain employment in the health care field.”

Investigators said he carried out the scheme through multiple entities, including a Virginia-based institution identified as Nursing School 1 and the Palm Beach School of Nursing in Florida, resulting in more than $1.5 million in losses.

The FBI revealed that from 2018, Nwaokwu worked with Musa Bangura, 67, of Virginia, to recruit individuals seeking nursing qualifications, selling them fake documents that falsely indicated they had completed required coursework and clinical training.

The bureau said that because Nursing School 1 had lost its licence, Nwaokwu and his conspirator backdated documents “to make it appear that they attended Nursing School 1 before it lost its licensure.”

In a related arrangement, Nwaokwu also collaborated with Johanah Napoleon, 50, and Geralda Adrien, 56, both based in Florida, to sell fraudulent Registered Nurse and Licensed Practical Nurse certificates to buyers in Maryland.

He reportedly charged about $17,000 for RN certificates and between $6,000 and $10,000 for LPN certificates, instructing buyers to manipulate their National Council Licensure Examination applications.

Prosecutors said the scheme enabled unqualified individuals to obtain nursing licences and secure jobs in the healthcare sector, thereby endangering lives.

“The scheme enabled these unqualified individuals to apply for licensure and practice as nurses,” authorities said, adding that the actions “consciously and recklessly exposed Maryland patients to potential harm, risk of death, and serious bodily injury.”

One of his co-conspirators, Bangura, had earlier been sentenced to 13 months in federal prison 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 roles in the investigation, and also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy for prosecuting the case.