The Texas Board of Nursing has filed formal charges against 18 Nigerian nurses practising in the state “for fraudulently obtaining educational credentials”.

The board, in a statement on its website, listed the names of 23 nurses accused of certificate fraud, of whom 18 are of Nigerian descent.

An ongoing investigation codenamed ‘Operation Nightingale’ revealed that the suspects were caught in a fraudulent diploma and transcript scheme.

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This came after the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and law enforcement partners launched a multi-state coordinated law enforcement action to apprehend individuals engaged in a scheme to sell false and fraudulent nursing degree diplomas and transcripts.

“The individuals who acquired the fraudulent nursing credentials used them to qualify to sit for the national nursing board exam. Upon successful completion of the board exam, the nursing applicants became eligible to obtain licensure in various states to work as an RN or a LPN or VN,” the board said in a separate statement.

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; 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.

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The board stated that the formal charges were not a final disciplinary action, and a nurse was permitted to work as one while the charges were pending.

“The Board has filed formal charges against the following nurses for fraudulently obtaining educational credentials: The Board is authorised 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 laws. 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 statement reads.