Two from Palm Beach County plead guilty in South Florida fake nursing diploma scheme

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — CBS12 News has new details in a multi-million-dollar nursing school scheme that led to 25 people being arrested earlier this year. This wire fraud scheme created an illegal shortcut for aspiring nurses to get licensed.

Five of those people have pleaded guilty in Miami federal court Monday. Two of which are from Palm Beach County with ties to the Palm Beach School of Nursing program.

We knew earlier this year that four people from Palm Beach County were being charged; Damian Lopez, Cassandre Jean, Norberto Lopez and Krystal Lopez. Now we’ve learned Krystal and Damian Lopez both pled guilty Monday to wire fraud conspiracy.

They admitted to soliciting and recruiting people who sought nursing credentials that would allow them to work as registered, licensed practical or vocational nurses.

Krystal Lopez admitted that, in her role as the Palm Beach School of Nursing's Finance Director, she processed applications for individuals who were issued fraudulent nursing school diplomas and transcripts. Each student paid the school $15,000 for the documents.

The fake diplomas and transcripts qualified those who purchased them to sit for the national nursing board exam. About 2,400 students ended up passing. Now authorities believe they could be practicing nursing somewhere in the country, but they likely won’t be criminally charged. Federal officials say many may just lose their certification.

The Palm Beach School of Nursing in West Palm Beach, Sacred Heart International Institute in Boca Raton, and Siena College in Lauderhill were all involved and are still closed Tuesday.

As for Krystal and Damian, they each face up to 20 years in prison at a July 27 hearing.