A 35-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to false statements related to health care matters, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Nora Nely Avila admitted that from January 2017 through December 2019, she impersonated a nurse and performed work she was not licensed to do at multiple hospitals and home health companies in the Laredo area.
These health care providers hired Avila after she fraudulently presented a nursing license of another individual. The patients and health care providers were part of the federally funded Medicaid and Medicare programs.
Avila also obtained employment as nurse trainer in the federally funded Job Corps program and was assigned to train future nurses.
In total, Avila received $52,241.66 in compensation for working as a licensed nurse when she was not licensed to do so.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo accepted the plea and has set sentencing for April 9. At that hearing, Avila faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.
Avila was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
FBI, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Department of Labor – OIG, Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Olson is prosecuting the case.
Tags: Arrests Fake Healthcare Fraud Nurse Unlicensed Activity