GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A Michigan woman has pleaded guilty to federal charges after using someone else’s credentials to work as a nurse -- for a second time.
Leticia Gallarzo, 48, of Allegan County, was accused of using the Michigan licensing number and name of an actual nurse to get a job at a Grand Rapids hospice care facility. She pleaded guilty to using the identity of another person to obtain employment as a licensed registered nurse and to making false statements relating to health care matters.
The health care fraud charge is punishable by up to five years in prison. The aggravated identity theft charge carries a mandatory two years in prison, which must be served consecutively (after) any prison sentence imposed for the health care fraud charge.
“The allegations that Ms. Gallarzo faked being a licensed nurse and created false medical records are extremely alarming,” said U.S. Attorney Totten. “By allegedly posing as a certified medical professional, she risked patient care and put unsuspecting individuals in harm’s way. My office takes this threat to public safety very seriously and appreciates the work of our law enforcement partners in this investigation.”
Officials said Gallarzo doesn’t have a valid nursing license. She claimed to have a master’s degree in nursing from George Washington University, but she doesn’t actually have any formal nursing degree of any kind, according to federal authorities.
The facility learned that Gallarzo was an imposter when her fingerprints linked her to a similar case, officials said. In that case, Gallarzo was convicted for practicing nursing without a license in Texas from 2015-2016.
“The FBI is dedicated to ensuring that cases of identity theft, such as this one, are thoroughly investigated and the public can trust qualified medical providers,” stated Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The scale of Ms. Gallarzo’s alleged fraud, which endangered innocent patients, is staggering. As law enforcement works together to combat fraud in our healthcare system, I would like to especially thank the Michigan State Police for their assistance in this investigation.”