A United States federal court has sentenced Nigerian-born Patrick Nwaokwu to 21 months in prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar scheme involving forged nursing diplomas, fake academic transcripts and fraudulent professional licences.
Nwaokwu, 55, was sentenced on April 24 by Judge Deborah L. Boardman in Maryland after pleading guilty to wire fraud. In addition to the prison term, he was ordered to serve two years of supervised release after completing his sentence.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Nwaokwu conspired with others to sell fraudulent nursing credentials to individuals seeking employment in the healthcare sector. Prosecutors said he also helped buyers obtain fake nursing licences required to secure jobs.
Investigators said the operation was conducted through multiple entities, including a Virginia-based nursing institution and the Palm Beach School of Nursing in Florida. Authorities estimated that the scheme caused more than $1.5 million in actual losses.
Court filings showed that between 2018 and 2021, Nwaokwu and his associates sold fraudulent Registered Nurse (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) degrees, with prices reportedly ranging from $6,000 to $17,000. Some documents were allegedly backdated to make it appear recipients graduated before the schools lost their licences.
U.S. prosecutors warned that the scheme allowed unqualified individuals to seek licensure and work as nurses, potentially putting patients at serious risk of harm.
One of Nwaokwu’s co-conspirators, Musa Bangura, had earlier received a 13-month prison sentence for his involvement in the fraud.
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