A Nigerian man, Patrick Nwaokwu, has been sentenced to 21 months in prison in the United States for his role in a nursing credentials fraud scheme that caused more than $1.5 million in losses.
The sentencing was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, following a federal court ruling.
The court also ordered a two-year supervised release following his prison term.
What they are saying
U.S. prosecutors said Nwaokwu conspired with multiple individuals to sell fraudulent nursing diplomas and academic transcripts to people seeking employment in healthcare.
According to court documents, the scheme involved assisting buyers in fraudulently obtaining nursing licenses required to work in the United States.
- “Nwaokwu engaged in the scheme through multiple entities, including Nursing School 1, located in Virginia, and Palm Beach School of Nursing, located in Florida. As a result of the scheme, Nwaokwu and his co-conspirators caused more than $1.5 million in actual losses.
- “The scheme enabled unqualified individuals to apply for licensure and practice as nurses, exposing patients to potential harm, risk of death, and serious bodily injury,” they stated.
Prosecutors added that Nwaokwu charged up to $17,000 for registered nurse (RN) certificates and between $6,000 and $10,000 for licensed practical nurse (LPN) certificates.
Backstory
According to his plea agreement, Nwaokwu began the scheme around 2018, working with co-conspirators, including Musa Bangura, to recruit individuals across Maryland and other locations.
The group issued falsified documents that falsely claimed recipients had completed required coursework and clinical training.
Because some of the institutions involved had lost their licences, the conspirators backdated documents to make it appear that students graduated before accreditation was revoked.
Nwaokwu also worked with other accomplices in Florida to sell fraudulent nursing degrees, instructing buyers on how to manipulate licensing applications to avoid detection.
More insights
Authorities said the fraudulent documents were used to obtain licenses from regulatory bodies such as the Maryland Board of Nursing, allowing unqualified individuals to secure jobs in the healthcare system.
One of Nwaokwu’s co-conspirators, Musa Bangura, had earlier been sentenced to 13 months in federal prison for his role in the scheme.
The investigation was led by the FBI Baltimore Field Office and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
What you should know
This case adds to a growing list of fraud-related cases involving Nigerian nationals abroad.
In a similar case, U.S. authorities indicted Shodiya Babatunde and Jamui Ahmed over a business email compromise scheme that targeted Minnesota-based healthcare companies.
- According to prosecutors, the suspects created spoofed domains and fake executive email accounts to impersonate officials of Fairview Health, using phishing tactics to gain access to payment systems and redirect funds.
- Investigators said the scheme diverted more than $13 million in payments intended for healthcare providers into accounts controlled by the suspects and their collaborators.
- Of the 61,678 cases reported to the US Sentencing Commission in fiscal year 2024, 395 involved health care fraud. Health care fraud offenses have increased 19.7% since fiscal year 2020.
