Fake Nurse's License Suspended, Linked To "Operation Nightingale" Fraud Scheme

The Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing has suspended the license of Victoria Owusu after an investigation revealed she obtained her nursing degree from Med-Life Institute in Florida, a for-profit school now under federal indictment for allegedly issuing fraudulent diplomas. This action, announced at the board's September 3, 2025 meeting, comes amid a broader federal investigation dubbed "Operation Nightingale" that has implicated numerous nurses across the country.

According to reports from CT Insider, Owusu did not attend the board meeting where her suspension was announced. Officials determined she had failed to meet Connecticut's requirements to practice nursing, creating what they described as an immediate risk to public safety. The board emphasized that no evidence has emerged suggesting Owusu met any qualifying educational standards necessary for nursing practice in the state.

The case represents just one example in a troubling pattern. Dozens of nurses in Connecticut alone have faced disciplinary action in connection with this fake diploma scheme, according to WLAD News. The state's aggressive response reflects growing concerns about the integrity of nursing credentials and the potential impact on patient care.

Nursing License Fraud

The federal investigation has cast a spotlight on the issue of fraudulent nursing credentials nationwide. While specific numbers related to the Med-Life Institute case weren't provided in the available reports, similar investigations have revealed alarming statistics. In January 2023, the Department of Justice announced charges against 25 defendants for their participation in a scheme that allegedly sold over 7,600 fraudulent nursing diplomas from three Florida-based nursing schools between 2016 and 2021.

For the nursing profession, these cases raise critical questions about credential verification processes. State boards typically require nursing program graduates to pass the NCLEX licensing examination, but these tests alone cannot verify whether candidates actually completed the required educational components. This gap in verification has allowed some individuals with fraudulent credentials to enter the profession.

The Connecticut Board of Examiners for Nursing has scheduled a formal hearing to address the allegations against Owusu in greater detail, as noted in the board's meeting minutes. This hearing will provide an opportunity for a more comprehensive review of the case.

As the formal hearing approaches, the Connecticut nursing community awaits further details on this case and potential implications for credential verification processes statewide. The board's public hearing calendar indicates this case will be reviewed in the coming months.

As regulatory bodies continue addressing this issue, the nursing profession faces the challenge of maintaining public trust while ensuring qualified professionals can enter the field through legitimate pathways.

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