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The U.S. Department of Justice is announcing more details about the suspects charged in "Operation Nightingale."
Twelve people in all face charges in an alleged illegal nursing license scheme that resulted in more than seven-thousand fake diplomas being handed out.
The suspects face multiple charges, with wire fraud being one that all of them share. They include three people from Palm Beach County, including Gilbert Hyppolite, Irene Matthews and Jose Napoleone.
The DOJ says many of those arrested conspired to sell false nursing credentials purportedly from Florida-based nursing schools.
The suspects include nursing school owners in Broward, Miami-Dade and Orange counties, along with one person from New Jersey.
All of the schools involved have closed.
Those charged in Palm Beach County include:
Gilbert Hyppolite, 73, of Palm Beach County. They were the owner of Techni-Pro Institute LLC, in Boca Raton. They were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Irene Matthews, 55, of Palm Beach County was a registered agent and/or manager of Agape Academy of Sciences, LLC, in Delray Beach. They were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Jose Napoleon, 40, of Palm beach County was the director of admissions for Azure College Inc., located in Fort Lauderdale. They were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Other people charged include, as provided by the DOJ:
Patrick Buchanan, 40, of Broward County, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Buchanan was the owner, registered agent, and manager of Sigma Institute of Health Careers, Inc., located in Lauderhill.
Lemuel Pierre, 56, of Broward County, is charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Pierre was the owner of Med-Life Enterprise, Inc., located in Lauderdale Lakes, and founder of all Med-Life Institute locations.
Joel Lubin, 51, of Miami-Dade County, is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Lubin was the registered agent and administrator of Ideal Professional Institute, Inc., located in Miami Gardens.
Victor Escalante Zerpa, 68, of Miami-Dade County, is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Escalante Zerpa incorporated Academus University Corp, located in Coral Gables.
Cleophat Tanis, 58, of Collier County, is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Tanis was the co-owner and operator of Med-Life Institute, doing business as Med-Life Institute Naples, located in Naples.
Lonnette Blair, 51, of Camden County, New Jersey, is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Stephanie Dorisca, 57, of Broward County, is charged by information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Dorisca was the Head of Nursing at Techni-Pro Institute LLC.
Herline Lochard, 46, of Orange County, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Lochard served as the registered agent and/or manager of Center for Professional Training and Development Inc., located in Miami; Center for Professional Training Inc. located in North Miami; and Wheatland Institute Inc., located in Orlando.
Carleen Noreus, 51, of Broward County, is charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering. According to the indictment, Noreus served as the president of Carleen Home Health School, Inc., located in Plantation, and Vice President of Carleen Home Health School II, Inc., located in West Palm Beach.