Additional forged nursing credential cases being investigated by Missouri officials
Mitchell Kaminski
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Missouri officials say they are investigating multiple cases involving alleged fake nursing credentials as authorities warn the issue is becoming more common nationwide.
A spokesperson for the Missouri Attorney General’s Office told ABC 17 News the agency is currently investigating another nursing credentials case in addition to the one filed this week in Camden County. The investigation remains open, and officials declined to release details.
The update comes alongside the case of Darcee Heath, a Linn Creek woman who was charged on Tuesday in Camden County with forgery and practicing nursing with fraudulently obtained academic credentials.
Court records allege Heath used multiple aliases and submitted falsified transcripts and diplomas to obtain nursing jobs in the Lake of the Ozarks area in 2025.
Investigators say each position ended after concerns arose about her qualifications, and an internal review later found her academic records were forged. Officials said in court documents that no patients or residents were harmed. The names of the health care facilities Heath worked at were not named in the probable cause statement.
The Missouri Board of Nursing said individuals must complete a state-approved practical nursing program, pass the NCLEX exam and submit required documentation, including transcripts, background checks and fees, to obtain an LPN license.
A spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance, speaking on behalf of the board, said all nursing licenses are verified through the national Nursys system, which allows employers to confirm licensure status and track disciplinary actions or changes. The board also encourages facilities to use Nursys e-Notify, a service that provides alerts on license updates.
However, Missouri Attorney General’s Office officials said these cases involving fake credenitals are often complex because the individuals accused are not licensed nurses, which limits the Missouri Board of Nursing’s ability to take disciplinary action. Instead, they are typically handled as criminal investigations through local prosecutors or the state’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
That unit sits within the Attorney General’s Office and is responsible for investigating and prosecuting fraud involving Medicaid providers, as well as abuse, neglect and financial exploitation in Medicaid-funded facilities.
Officials said nursing credential cases are assigned there because they often involve individuals working in facilities tied to Medicaid reimbursement.
The state’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has taken on a larger role in these investigations, officials said, citing the technical nature of the cases. The unit includes two dedicated nurse investigators and is funded largely through a federal grant.
Officials said the unit was created in response to the growing complexity of health care fraud investigations, and the current nurse investigator has been on staff since 2021.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is funded through a combination of state and federal dollars. According to the Attorney General’s Office, the unit receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through a federal grant totaling about $3.55 million for fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25%, about $1.18 million, is funded by the state.
The developments come as the National Council of State Boards of Nursing reports an increase in counterfeit diplomas, forged licenses and fraudulent job applications targeting health care workers.
The attorney general’s office said the Heath case will be among at least 13 cases highlighted June 23 as part of the 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.