Fargo nurse’s license suspended after she got fake diploma in massive scheme, officials say

FARGO — A Fargo licensed sensible nurse was suspended from her duties in September after North Dakota officers realized she obtained false credentials in a scheme that produced hundreds of pretend nursing diplomas and transcripts.

The North Dakota Board of Nursing not too long ago confirmed to The Discussion board that it suspended on Sept. 6 a nursing license for Dorothy Cummings, an LPN who labored at PAM Well being Rehabilitation Hospital in Fargo. Makes an attempt to achieve Cummings have been unsuccessful.

Cummings “fraudulently obtained an illegitimate one-year sensible nursing certificates and transcript” that she used to get her licensure as a licensed sensible nurse in North Dakota on Nov. 11, 2020,” in accordance with an emergency order that suspended her license. She additionally did not full the wanted program hours and scientific coaching wanted to earn her sensible nursing certificates and transcript, the order mentioned.

The suspension in North Dakota will final 5 years, the order mentioned. Throughout that suspension, she isn’t allowed to work in any nursing function in North Dakota.

Minnesota additionally suspended Cummings’ license, in accordance with Nursys, a web-based database that exhibits the standing of nursing licenses within the U.S. Paperwork weren’t hooked up to that database, however Nursys mentioned Cummings was suspended for “fraud, deceit or materials omission in acquiring license or credentials.”

North Dakota Nursing Board Govt Director Stacey Pfenning confirmed Cummings obtained the false credentials by a scheme that offered greater than 7,600 faux nursing diploma diplomas and transcripts.

The investigation, dubbed Operation Nightingale, was launched by the U.S. Division Well being and Human Providers and its regulation enforcement companions, in accordance with a information launch issued in January.

“Upon studying that a person situated in North Dakota was named within the FBI’s investigation, our compliance division took quick motion to stop the nurse from partaking within the observe of nursing by issuing an order of emergency suspension,” Pfenning mentioned in an announcement. “We proceed to watch the continuing investigation and won’t hesitate to take extra measures to guard public security ought to extra people be dropped at our consideration by regulation enforcement.”

Cummings was the one nursing license holder in North Dakota linked to the investigation.

The Discussion board additionally reached out to the Minnesota Board of Nursing to ask if it had suspended any nursing licenses in connection to Operation Nightingale. The Minnesota company didn’t reply by press time.

Cummings has not been criminally charged within the scheme, however 25 defendants are being prosecuted within the Southern District of Florida’s federal court docket. They resist 20 years in jail.

The investigation revealed the faux diplomas have been issued by Siena School, the Palm Seashore College of Nursing and Sacred Coronary heart Worldwide Institute, the discharge mentioned. The three south Florida faculties are actually closed, in accordance with the discharge.

These going through fees owned, managed or labored for these faculties, the discharge mentioned.

“Not solely is that this a public security concern, it additionally tarnishes the popularity of nurses who really full the demanding scientific and course work required to acquire their skilled licenses and employment,” U.S. Legal professional for the Southern District of Florida Markenzy Lapointe mentioned in an announcement.

Federal brokers served search warrants in Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Texas, and Florida, in accordance with a information launch from the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace in south Florida.

April Baumgarten joined The Discussion board in February 2019 as an investigative reporter. She grew up on a ranch 10 miles southeast of Belfield, N.D., the place her household raises Hereford cattle. She double majored in communications and historical past/political science on the College of Jamestown, N.D.