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Carleen Noreus, 52, of South Florida pleaded guilty this week to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to money laundering after prosecutors established she sold nearly 3,000 fake nursing diplomas through two schools she controlled, allowing unqualified individuals to sit for national licensing exams and enter the nursing workforce.
The plea came after a two-week trial in which prosecutors presented dozens of exhibits, including forged diplomas and transcripts.
Nearly 2,300 people who obtained fraudulent documents from Noreus went on to obtain nursing licenses and work in the field across the country, court records show.
Scheme Ran Seven Years Across Two Schools Noreus, herself a registered nurse since 2002, ran the scheme from April 2018 through October 2025, according to prosecutors.
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