The Texas Board of Nursing has filed formal charges against 23 nurses practicing in the US court for obtaining educational credentials through fraudulent means, eighteen of the accused nurses are Nigerians.

According to the Texas Board of Nurses, all the suspects were caught in a grand fraudulent diploma/transcript scheme as revealed in an on-going investigation.

The multi-state coordinated law enforcement action code-named ‘Operation Nightingale,’ involving the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), was inaugurated on January 25, 2023, to arrest individuals involved in a scheme to sell fraudulent nursing degree diplomas and transcripts.

The Nigerians involved are; Abiodun, Yetunde Felicia; Adelakun, Abiodun Aveez; Adelekan, Joseph Adewale; Adeoye, Vivien Temitope; Adewale, Modinat Abidemi; Afolabi, Olufemi Toun; Afolabi, Omowunmi F; Agbo, Odumegwu Steve; and Ajibade, Charlot Omotayo.

Others are; Akande, Olabisi Christiana; Akhigbe, Catherine; Akinrolabu, Folasade Margaret; Ako, Esiri Rachael; Akpan, Rosemary Moses; Alimi, Bukola A; Ani, Ndirika Justina; Aroh, Nchekwube C.; and Ayodeji, Sherifat Olubunmi.

The Texas Board of Nursing further explained that the suspects engaged in the scheme procured fraudulent nursing credentials which they used to sit for the national nursing board exam.

“Upon successful completion of the board exam, the applicants became eligible to obtain licensure in various states to work as an RN or a LPN/VN,” the Board stated in a separate statement.

It also clarified that the formal charges filed against the offenders are not a final disciplinary action, therefore, they are permitted to work pending the outcome of the charges.

“Please note that Formal Charges are not a final disciplinary action, and a nurse is permitted to work, as a nurse, while Formal Charges are pending.”

Other non-Nigerian nurses named in the scandal are Abanda, Jacob Atambili; Addai, Agnes Fosuah; Anaaba, Awingrug Musah; Anthony-Annor, and Spendilove; Asanga, Albert Nshanui.

“This list will be updated continuously as the Board receives additional information about the fraudulent diploma/transcript scheme.”