A United States District Court has sentenced a Nigeria-born man, Patrick Nwaokwu, to 21 months’ imprisonment for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar scheme involving forged nursing certificates and fraudulent licensure.
Nwaokwu, 55, was handed the sentence on April 24 by U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman after he was found guilty of wire fraud, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
The convict was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release after completing his prison term.
Authorities said Nwaokwu collaborated with multiple accomplices to sell fake nursing diplomas and academic transcripts to individuals seeking employment in the healthcare sector across the United States.
The Department of Justice noted that the scheme exposed unsuspecting patients to significant health risks.
It stated, “Nwaokwu and his co-conspirators consciously and recklessly exposed patients to potential harm, risk of death, and serious bodily injury.”
Investigations revealed that the fraudulent operation, which ran between 2018 and 2021, involved the use of defunct and unlicensed institutions, including a Virginia-based nursing school and the Palm Beach School of Nursing in Florida.
Nwaokwu and his associates reportedly falsified academic records, backdating certificates to give the impression that recipients graduated before the institutions lost their licences.
Further findings showed that the syndicate charged as much as $17,000 for fake Registered Nurse certificates and between $6,000 and $10,000 for Licensed Practical Nurse credentials.
The perpetrators also coached buyers on how to manipulate their applications for the National Council Licensure Examination by omitting graduation dates to facilitate backdating.
The scheme resulted in losses exceeding $1.5m, according to U.S. authorities.
One of Nwaokwu’s accomplices, Musa Bangura, had earlier been sentenced to 13 months in prison for his role in the fraud.
Other collaborators linked to the operation include Johanah Napoleon and Geralda Adrien, both based in Florida.
The case underscores growing concerns over transnational fraud schemes involving professional certifications and the potential danger they pose to public safety, particularly in critical sectors such as healthcare.
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