A woman in South Florida has admitted guilt for distributing nearly 3,000 fake nursing diplomas through schools she managed. Carleen Noreus, aged 52, agreed to a plea deal following a trial that spanned two weeks. During the trial, prosecutors presented the jury with numerous exhibits, including counterfeit diplomas and transcripts issued to individuals who did not complete the necessary training to qualify as registered nurses, as reported by court records accessed by Fox News Digital.
The U.S. attorney for Florida’s southern district, Jason A. Reding Quiñones, emphasized the importance of earning nursing licenses through proper education, training, and competence rather than purchasing them through fraud. Quiñones stated that Noreus’ actions compromised the integrity of the nursing profession and threatened the healthcare system. He affirmed the commitment of the Southern District of Florida to hold accountable those who profit from corrupt practices in professional licensing, which endangers the public.
President Donald Trump nominated Jason Reding Quiñones for the U.S. attorney position in the Southern District of Florida. Noreus, a registered nurse since 2002, was involved in selling fraudulent diplomas from April 2018 to October 2025. According to prosecutors, these documents allowed individuals to take the national nursing board exams without attending nursing school.
Nearly 2,300 individuals who obtained diplomas or transcripts from Noreus successfully passed the board exams and worked as nurses nationwide. The schools she established to facilitate the diploma scheme, both bearing her name, were shut down by state authorities. Noreus was the president of Carleen Home Health School, Inc. in Plantation and vice president of Carleen Home Health School II, Inc. in West Palm Beach. Both schools have since become defunct.
Prosecutors revealed that Noreus collaborated with others in this extensive, long-running scheme. In a factual statement signed by Noreus, she admitted that Stanton Witherspoon, the president of Carleen Home Health School II, compensated her to forge diplomas for different nursing levels, including entry-level, registered, and bachelor’s-level nurses. Noreus also conceded to backdating transcripts to create the appearance that students received their degrees before the state closed her schools.
Noreus pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to money laundering. Each charge carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. Noreus was among 13 defendants indicted in the second phase of Operation Nightingale, a national investigation targeting fraudulent nursing diploma operations. The first phase concluded in 2023, leading to the conviction of 30 individuals. This case was covered by James Cirrone, a writer for the Breaking/Trending News team at Fox News Digital.