As reported in last week’s edition of HLBytes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida has charged twenty five people involved with three Florida-based nursing schools for selling fake diplomas and transcripts to those seeking to become registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs). The diplomas allowed these individuals to qualify for national nursing boards and obtain licensure through state boards of nursing. Federal authorities have not charged the purchasers of the fake diplomas. But several states, including Delaware, Georgia, and Texas, are initiating actions against individuals who used the fake credentials and obtained nursing licenses. For example, the Georgia Board of Nursing has asked such nurses in Georgia to voluntarily surrender their licenses; several have retained legal counsel to assert their innocence in the fraud scheme and to keep their licenses.