Overview

• The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced Sept. 15 that 12 former owners and employees of for‑profit Florida nursing schools were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
• Two defendants, Patrick Buchanan and Herline Lochard, pleaded guilty; Lochard received a 13‑month prison sentence and Buchanan is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 19.
• Additional cases are moving forward, including a Dec. 1 trial for Carleen Noreus, as prosecutors name operators tied to Techni‑Pro Institute, Agape Academy of Sciences, Sigma Institute and other shuttered schools.
• Investigators say the scheme produced about 7,300 fake diplomas and transcripts that enabled buyers to sit for licensure exams, with roughly 37% passing and many obtaining licenses in New York.
• Prosecutors continue to focus on school operators rather than most document purchasers, and the wire‑fraud charge carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison.