On April 2, a judge sentenced three defendants to federal prison for their roles in running a coordinated scheme to sell thousands of fake diplomas and transcripts to aspiring nurses.
Since January 2023, a total of 27 defendants have been charged and convicted for their participation in a sham to sell more than 7,600 fraudulent nursing documents from three now-shuttered schools in South Florida. Officials have estimated around 37% of individuals with phony documents passed the National Council Licensure Examination and went on to secure employment.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida, Gail Russ was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Ms. Russ was the director of student services and registrar at the now-closed Palm Beach School of Nursing. She was also ordered forfeiture of $861,672.
Cassandre Jean and Vilaire Duroseau, two operators who recruited students, were also sentenced. Ms. Jean was sentenced to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered forfeiture of more than $4.7 million. Mr. Duroseau was sentenced to 33 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered forfeiture of nearly $1.4 million.
The three were also each ordered to pay a $20,000 fine. A federal grand jury in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., in December found the three guilty of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud charges after a three-week trial. The former president and owner of the Palm Beach School of Nursing, Johanah Napoleon, was the prosecution's main witness. Ms. Napoleon previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and was sentenced to 21 months in prison.
At least seven people have now been sentenced in connection to the scheme.
More of the latest updates on the fallout from Operation Nightingale can be found here.