The Texas Board of Nursing has filed charges against 18 nurses from Nigeria residing in Texas, the United States for obtaining educational credentials through fraudulent means.
In a statement on its website, the Board published 23 names of persons indicted with fake certificates of which 18 of them were Nigerians. The board in its statement said an investigation carried out showed that the suspects were caught in a grand fraudulent diploma/transcript scheme. The board explained that the suspects procured fraudulent nursing credentials which they used to sit for the national nursing board exam. It added 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.
The statement read
“The Board has filed Formal Charges against the following nurses for fraudulently obtaining educational credentials. The Board is authorized to file Formal Charges against a nurse if probable cause exists that the nurse has committed an act listed in Tex. Occ. Code §301.452(b) or that violates other law. See Tex. Occ. Code §301.458. Further, Formal Charges are publicly available. See Tex. Occ. Code §301.466(b).
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.”
The Nigerians indicted include Abiodun Yetunde Felicia; Adelakun Abiodun Aveez; Adelekan Joseph Adewale; Adeoye Vivien Temitope; Adewale Modinat Abidemi; Afolabi, Olufemi Toun; Afolabi Omowunmi F; Agbo Odumegwu Steve; Ajibade Charlot Omotayo, 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.
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,” the statement added.
