Witherspoon Sanon, Diploma Mill Scheme, Florida 2024

Miami – A sprawling diploma mill operation targeting Florida’s nursing workforce has exploded into one of the largest healthcare fraud crackdowns in recent memory, with more than two dozen defendants charged in connection to the sale of fake nursing credentials. At the center of the scheme: Siena College, Palm Beach School of Nursing, and Sacred Heart International Institute—all now shuttered institutions accused of churning out over 7,600 fraudulent diplomas and transcripts to unqualified individuals seeking RN and LPN licenses across the U.S.

Among the named defendants are Stanton Witherspoon of Burlington County, N.J., and Eunide Sanon, the former manager of Siena College in Broward County, Fla. Federal indictments unsealed in the Southern District of Florida detail a coordinated fraud ring that sold falsified academic records from accredited nursing programs, enabling buyers to sit for national licensing exams and secure jobs in medical facilities without completing required training. The scheme spanned multiple states and exploited gaping vulnerabilities in credential verification systems.

Three separate federal indictments and three criminal complaints filed by U.S. Attorneys allege that defendants conspired to defraud state licensing boards by providing counterfeit documentation that mimicked legitimate transcripts and diplomas. These forged credentials allowed untrained individuals to legally qualify as Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or Vocational Nurses (VNs), positions entrusted with critical patient care responsibilities.

“The demand for nurses is very high and continues growing,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Markenzy Lapointe. “It’s a tragedy that certain individuals and institutions tied to nursing are trying to bypass educational requirements. This office, alongside our law enforcement partners, is committed to prosecuting this fraud—and others like it—that endanger the public.” Each defendant faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

Chad Yarbrough, Acting Special Agent in Charge at the FBI Miami Field Office, called the operation “deeply disturbing,” emphasizing that more than 7,600 people may currently be working in healthcare with fraudulent credentials. “If not for the diligence and hard work of investigators, the full scope of this fraud might never have come to light,” Yarbrough said. The FBI warns that imposters in clinical roles pose a direct threat to patient safety, particularly in emergency and long-term care settings.

“The alleged sale and purchase of nursing diplomas and transcripts for unqualified individuals is a crime that endangers public health and disrespects the entire nursing profession,” said Omar Pérez Aybar, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG, alongside our law enforcement partners, continues aggressively investigating these bad actors who brazenly disregard the well-being of others for fraudulent gain.” The cases, U.S. v. Witherspoon et al. (Case No. 23-60005-Cr-Smith) and U.S. v. Sanon (Case No. 23-60013-Cr-Moreno), remain active.

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