A pair of Long Island, N.Y., nurses have been placed under arrest after allegedly forging fake COVID vaccination cards and entering them into a state database, a criminal operation that netted them over $1 million according to authorities.
Julie DeVuono, 49, and Marissa Urraro, 44, are officially charged with forgery. DeVuono is also charged with offering a false instrument for filing, the criminal act of purposely filing false information with a public office.
Suffolk County Police say they are in possession of a ledger that shows the pair logged over $1.5 million for the enterprise in under three months, charging $85 for every “false entry” into the state database for children and $220 for each adult entry.
“As nurses, these two individuals should understand the importance of legitimate vaccination cards as we all work together to protect public health,” read a statement from Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison.
Both nurses entered not guilty pleas through separate attorneys.
“In today’s uncertain times, courts are issuing rulings regarding the government overstepping their limits,” Urraro’s attorney Michael J. Alber said in a statement. “Because of this, now more than ever, it is so important that there is no rush to judgment in forming an opinion against the respected [nurse].”
Reached for comment by phone by The Washington Post, DeVuono’s attorney Barry Smolowitz simply said, “Let me just say this — I would implore your readers not to jump to conclusions.”
DeVuono and Urraro are just the latest in a string of arrests involving forgery of vaccination cards. A New Jersey woman was arrested after allegedly selling fake cards on Instagram under the handle “AntiVaxMomma,” and a paramedic in Delaware allegedly stole a cache of blank cards from his workplace.
Tierney’s office said DeVuono and Urraro were arrested after they sold a forged vaccination card to an undercover detective. Later, a police search of DeVuono’s home turned up piles of cash totaling around $900,000 and the ledger that allegedly recorded the duo’s earnings. Both nurses were released after their arraignment on Friday.
“These individuals allegedly used their positions as licensed healthcare professionals to engage in criminal conduct for their financial benefit,” read a statement released by Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney Friday. “I hope this sends a message to others who are considering gaming the system that they will get caught and that we will enforce the law to the fullest extent.”
Related
