The owner of two South Florida nursing schools has pleaded guilty to federal charges for her role in a large-scale scheme that sold fraudulent nursing diplomas and transcripts to individuals seeking nursing licenses and employment across the United States.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Carleen Noreus, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering following a two-week trial in Fort Lauderdale.
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Court records and evidence presented during the trial showed that Noreus served as president of Carleen Home Health School, Inc. in Plantation, Florida, and vice president of Carleen Home Health School II, Inc. in West Palm Beach.
Federal prosecutors alleged that she conspired with others to sell fraudulent nursing diplomas and educational transcripts to individuals who had not completed the required coursework or clinical training for Registered Nurse (RN), Licensed Practical Nurse/Vocational Nurse (LPN/VN), or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) credentials.
The fraudulent diplomas and transcripts falsely represented that purchasers had successfully completed the required academic and clinical requirements when they had not.
According to the DOJ, the fraudulent documents enabled purchasers to sit for the national nursing board examinations. After passing those examinations, recipients were able to obtain nursing licenses and employment in the healthcare field.
Evidence presented at trial established that between April 17, 2018, and October 8, 2025, Noreus was responsible for providing 2,956 fraudulent nursing diplomas through the two schools.
Of those individuals, approximately 2,274 passed the nursing board examinations, allowing them to obtain nursing licenses and work as nurses in Florida and across the United States. State authorities have since terminated both schools.
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The prosecution is part of the second phase of Operation Nightingale, a nationwide investigation targeting fraudulent nursing diploma schemes operated by for-profit nursing schools in South Florida.
According to the DOJ, the second phase resulted in fraud-related charges against 13 defendants, including Noreus, for their alleged roles in selling fraudulent nursing diplomas and transcripts.
The DOJ also noted that 30 defendants were charged and convicted in 2023 during the first phase of Operation Nightingale through guilty pleas or trial verdicts.
Noreus faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine her sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Reference:
1. U.S. Department of Justice. “Owner of Two South Florida Nursing Schools Pleads Guilty in Fraudulent Nursing Diploma Scheme.” U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida, June 18, 2026. Accessed June 29, 2026. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/owner-two-south-florida-nursing-schools-pleads-guilty-fraudulent-nursing-diploma
(Rh/ARC/MSM)