A Baltimore County, Maryland woman was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison for making false statements in connection with healthcare matters and aggravated identity theft. She obtained employment as a registered nurse (RN) and licensed practical nurse (LPN) using stolen nursing licenses, despite never holding a nursing credential of her own.
According to the plea agreement, from September 2019 through August 2023, the defendant used stolen nursing credentials along with fabricated educational and professional histories. This allowed her to secure work as a purported licensed nurse at no fewer than 40 facilities in Maryland. Most of these facilities operated as skilled nursing centers providing in-patient rehabilitation and medical treatment. Others included a Baltimore City public school and multiple nursing homes. In total, she earned more than $145,000 in wages through her fraudulent employment, and the facilities billed Medicare, Medicaid, and other healthcare benefit programs for services she provided.
On August 21, 2019, she submitted a job application to Nursing Facility 1. She fraudulently used a Maryland nursing license number issued to Identity Victim T.R.S. and provided a copy of the victim’s license as her own. She also altered her name on the application to incorporate the victim’s last name. In her fabricated professional history, she claimed to have worked as an LPN supervisor and to hold a nursing degree from Florida State University, neither of which was true.
Based on this application, Nursing Facility 1 hired her as an LPN. The facility later terminated her after she admitted forging a physician’s signature for a Tramadol prescription and faxing the form to a pharmacy.
The defendant later admitted that she used a second stolen identity to obtain further nursing positions. On July 18, 2021, she submitted an online job application to Staffing Agency 1 using a Florida nursing license number belonging to Identity Victim E.A. She again provided a duplicated license image and a fictitious résumé. Using this fabricated profile, she worked in at least 21 skilled nursing facilities between July 2021 and October 2022.
Through Staffing Agency 1, she also worked shifts at Nursing Facility 2 in October 2022. During these shifts, she failed to administer prescribed medications to multiple patients and falsified the related medical records. Although both Nursing Facility 2 and Staffing Agency 1 confronted and eventually terminated her for working as an unlicensed nurse, she continued applying for and accepting nursing positions using the credentials of Identity Victims T.R.S. and E.A. through August 2023.
Compliance Perspective
Issue
Healthcare facilities are responsible for ensuring that individuals working in clinical and support roles are properly qualified, licensed, and credentialed to provide care. When verification steps are missed or inconsistently applied, individuals may gain employment using false or invalid credentials, posing risks to patient safety, regulatory compliance, and organizational integrity. To support safe operations, facilities must have clear procedures for verifying licensure, confirming identity, and reviewing employee documentation at the time of hire and throughout employment. Consistent monitoring and evaluation of these processes help ensure that only appropriately qualified individuals are permitted to provide care in the facility.
Discussion Points
- Review your facility’s policies and procedures for verifying professional licenses, certifications, identity, and past employment. Ensure that verification is conducted directly with the appropriate licensing authority or issuing body, and that all documentation is maintained in employee personnel files. Facilities may also consider working with an external consultant to assess whether current protocols align with regulatory expectations and industry best practices, and to identify any opportunities for process improvement.
- Train appropriate staff on the proper steps for verifying licensure and credentials, including how to recognize potential red flags such as inconsistencies in documentation or discrepancies in identifying information. Ongoing education should also reinforce staff responsibilities for confirming the authenticity of submitted materials and for escalating concerns when verification cannot be completed or discrepancies arise. Med-Net Academy offers Employee Recordkeeping Requirements and Education and The Importance of Proper Licensure – A Case Study, which provide practical guidance on maintaining compliance with staffing, licensure, and documentation standards.
- Conduct routine audits of employee licensure, certification, and background documentation to confirm that records are valid, current, and complete. Audits should assess whether verification steps were properly performed and whether required follow-up occurred when concerns were identified. Facilities may benefit from engaging an external consultant to provide an independent review of documentation practices, identify gaps, and support corrective actions. Regular audits help maintain compliance and ensure that staff credentials remain up to date.
*This news alert has been prepared by Med-Net Concepts, Inc. for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice.*