VERO BEACH — A 33-year-old woman was jailed after police said she used the names of two nurses to open and operate an unlicensed medical school, scamming more than 30 students out of $93,895 total. The students were charged more than $5,000 each for the licensed practical nursing program held at Grace Med Training, police said.
“Graduates of Grace Med’s LPN program were ultimately unable to take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) due to the fact that they did not attend an approved and accredited school,” Vero Beach police said in a statement. “The training facility offered multiple medical training courses including CPR, home health aide, medical assistant, phlebotomy, CNA and a practical nursing program.”
.@VeroBeachPD Chief David Currey talks about arrest of Michelle Wimes, who detectives said posed as a nurse instructor at Grace Med Training and gave out fake LPN certificates to more than 30 students. #VeroNews pic.twitter.com/WrsDG7kUCs
— Nicholas Samuel (@JournalistNickS) October 19, 2022
Michelle Renee Wimes
PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Michelle Renee Wimes, of the 1100 block of 8th Street Southwest, Vero Beach, was charged Tuesday with organized fraud more than $50,000. Wimes – who went by the aliases “Michelle Hudson” and “Miss Cee” while managing the school – was released Tuesday from the Indian River County Jail on $30,000 bond.
“It’s unfortunate,” Vero Beach Police Department Chief David Currey said of the crime during a Wednesday news conference held at the agency. “To be sure, you need to contact the Florida Department of Education, Better Business Bureau or the local Chamber of Commerce. Vet the company or school and see if they are legitimately able to operate.”
The probe began in late July after former students contacted law enforcement.
The students were enrolled in the program for 10 months, officers said. Police said Wimes used the names of two friends – who are licensed nurses and qualified instructors – to be on the faculty for the school and for signees for certifications upon graduation.
“The friends were misled as well,” Currey said. “The friends thought they were only going to be part of the pinning process. They later found out their names were on the certificates and part of the faculty program without their permission. (The friends) didn’t realize Grace Med wasn’t a legitimate school.”
The school held the pinning ceremony June 25 and the graduation ceremony July 16 for the students at First Presbyterian Church in Vero Beach, according to police. Soon after, the graduates found out they could not take the NCLEX – a standardized test nurses need to pass to become licensed – and contacted police.
One victim claimed Wimes made students pay Wimes a one-time $100 fee for an NCLEX boot camp, according to police records. Wimes closed the school after the investigation began, police said.
“(Wimes) is not certified to teach and crushed the (students’) dreams of being nurses,” Vero Beach Police Department spokesperson Master Officer Darrell Rivers said. “Some got jobs based on the fake certificates and therefore lost their jobs after it was determined the certification was no good.”
Investigators contacted the Commission for Independent Education and confirmed neither Wimes nor Grade Med Training were ever licensed to provide any type of medical training. Detectives then searched the school, located in the 1400 block of Old Dixie Highway, and found several documents that showed 37 students paid for the medical training.
Police arrested Wimes and booked her into the county jail. Wimes has an arraignment at 8:45 a.m. Dec. 2, court records show.
Officers will work on ordering Wimes to pay restitution – or compensation for loss – to the victims, Currey said. The investigation remains ongoing.
“Investigators encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim regarding Grace Med Training to contact Detective Kyle Eder at 772-978-4665 or keder@vbpd.org.”
Photos by Joshua Kodis
