HSI Laredo, multiagency investigation results in Texas woman’s guilty plea for impersonating a nurse

LAREDO, Texas — A Texas woman pleaded guilty to making false statements related to health care matters following an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

Nora Nely Avila, 35, pleaded guilty Jan. 3 after she fraudulently presented a nursing license.

According to court documents, Avila admitted that from January 2017 through December 2019, she impersonated a nurse and performed work she was not licensed to do at multiple hospitals and home health companies in the Laredo area. These health care providers hired Avila after she fraudulently presented another person’s nursing license. The patients and health care providers were part of the federally funded Medicaid and Medicare programs. Avila also obtained employment as nurse trainer in the federally funded Job Corps program and was assigned to train future nurses. She received $52,241.66 in compensation for working as a licensed nurse when she was not licensed to do so.

A federal judge has set sentencing for April 9. At that hearing, Avila faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.

She was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Kathryn Olson is prosecuting the case.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’ largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.