Fake Nurse Arrested Using 20 Aliases, 7 SSN’s Across 9+ Facilities in 5+ States
In a story drawing attention nationwide, 39-year-old Shannon Nicole Womack stands accused of posing as a nurse in multiple states, using an extraordinary web of deception that involved more than 20 aliases and seven Social Security numbers. Her actions, stretching back to 2020, allegedly allowed her access to vulnerable patients in rehabilitation centers and nursing homes, exposing critical gaps in the healthcare employment system.
The Scheme: Timeline and Tactics
Creating the False Identity
- Multiple Aliases and IDs: Investigators say Womack assumed at least 20 different names, supported by seven unique Social Security numbers. Among the aliases confirmed by state police:
- Shannon Abiola-Parham
- Shannon Lee Lawson
- Shannon Nicole Abiola
- Shannon Nicole Armstrong
- Shannon Nicole Grimes
- Shannon Nicole Lawson
- Shannon Nicole Lethco
- Shannon Nicole Parham
- Shannon Nicole Robinson
- Shannon Nicole Womack
- Credential Theft: Womack targeted four real nurses from southern states, stealing their professional credentials and supporting documentation to present herself as a legitimate LPN, registered nurse, and even nurse supervisor.
- Fake Businesses: Police revealed she went as far as to create a fake staffing agency—an LLC—to “self-deploy” herself for jobs, sometimes even acting as her own reference or point of contact for job verification.
Infiltration of Facilities
- Geographic Reach: The scheme spanned states from Georgia to Connecticut, with most documented activity in Pennsylvania over the last five years. She was listed on Georgia's “nursing impersonator alerts” but continued to operate across state lines.
- Facility Penetration: Court and police records show Womack worked between one and ten shifts at least nine different healthcare or rehabilitation facilities in Western Pennsylvania. Her employment at each facility frequently ended with her being placed on “do not retain” lists for unprofessional behavior or suspected theft. Employers included:
- Oct 2024: Greenery Center for Rehab and Nursing (Washington County)
- Feb 2025: Beaver Valley Healthcare and Rehab (Beaver County)
- Feb 2025: Sayre Healthcare Center (Bradford County)
- Feb-Mar 2025: Oak Hill Healthcare and Rehab (Westmoreland County)
- Mar 2025: Southmont of Presbyterian Senior Care (Washington County)
- Mar 2025: Corner View Nursing and Rehabilitation (Allegheny County)
- Mar 2025: Eldercrest Rehabilitation (Allegheny County)
- Mar 2025: Harmar Village Care (Allegheny County)
- Apr 2025: St. Mary’s Home of Erie (Erie County)
- Medications Theft: In one documented instance, after just one shift at a facility in Washington County, she was found responsible for the disappearance of over 120 oxycodone tablets, and several patients were left without medication.
How She Was Caught
- Traffic Stop Breakthrough: The investigation began in April 2025, when Womack was pulled over for a routine traffic violation in Pennsylvania. She presented troopers with fake identification, which triggered deeper investigation.
- Evidence Collected: A search of her vehicle revealed a trove of incriminating materials: multiple forms of ID, medical records, patient logs, prescription medications prescribed to facility residents, and nursing equipment tied to several different healthcare roles.
- Multi-State Warrants: As the search continued, authorities discovered she was wanted for similar offenses in Georgia, Tennessee, New Jersey, and Indiana.
The Investigation and Legal Response
- Criminal Charges: Womack faces 43 counts, including endangering the welfare of a care-dependent person, identity theft, forgery, use and possession of drug paraphernalia, unlawful use of a computer, and corrupt organizations.
- Court Proceedings: After her arrest, Womack was denied bond and incarcerated in the Washington County Jail as a flight risk. Her bail has been set at $250,000. She is expected to appear in plea court and for a preliminary hearing on new charges in August.
- Ongoing Investigation: Pennsylvania authorities, joined by health agencies in other states, continue to reach out to healthcare providers to check employment records for Womack’s aliases. This is part of an effort to identify more facilities affected by her actions and to uncover the full extent of her reach.
How She Exploited the System
- Pandemic Pressure: Womack reportedly began her scheme in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when healthcare staffing shortages were at crisis levels. Her sophisticated forgery and creation of self-serving employment references enabled her to slip through expedited—often less-thorough—hiring processes.
- Staffing Agency Exploitation: She was able to secure jobs not only through external staffing agencies, but by inventing her own “host agency,” personally handling hiring phone calls and reference checks to complete her deception.
Facility and Patient Impact
Throughout her fraudulent career, facilities reported a range of misconduct, from missing prescription medications and failure to deliver care, to outright professional incompetence. Every facility that employed her placed her on an internal “do not retain” list soon after discovering red flags in her conduct or documentation. Several current investigations—both legal and regulatory—are underway to determine if patient harm occurred as a direct result of her actions.
Conclusion
Shannon Womack’s story is a dramatic example of how determined bad actors can infiltrate healthcare settings. Her arrest is a reminder for all healthcare professionals, administrators, and agencies about the ongoing need for rigorous credential checks and cross-agency cooperation—especially when staffing shortages create vulnerabilities. The ongoing investigation may yet uncover more facilities and victims connected to her actions, prompting renewed calls for change to protect patients and the reputation of the nursing profession.
As a friendly reminder, if you suspect fraudulent credentials among colleagues or encounter suspicious behavior, report it to your management or local licensing authorities immediately.
Nurse.org will continue to update this article as more information is known about the case.
