Undercover agents bought fraudulent nursing degrees for $17,000

Editor's Note

Between 2016 and 2021, some 7,600 fraudulent nursing degrees were sold to individuals so they could qualify to sit for the National Council of State Boards of Nursing exam (NCLEX), the February 27 Yahoo News reports.

NCLEX is a rigorous exam that usually takes about 5 hours to complete and is required for graduate nurses to be licensed as RNs.

On several occasions, undercover agents with Operation Nightingale purchased these degrees for $17,000 without any nursing background or having taken any courses. In total, the scheme accumulated more than $100 million.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing and its state regulatory bodies have been working closely with state and federal authorities to identify and monitor individuals across the country who purchased the fraudulent degrees.