A Pennsylvania woman is facing a long list of charges after authorities say she spent years pretending to be a licensed nurse, using a string of aliases and fake credentials to land jobs in healthcare facilities across the state.
Shannon Nicole Womack allegedly posed as a licensed practical nurse, a registered nurse and a nurse supervisor—despite not holding any medical license. According to state police, she worked at rehabilitation centers and nursing homes throughout Pennsylvania, all while using the identities of four verified nurses from other states.
The charges against her are serious. Womack has been hit with multiple counts, including corrupt organizations, endangering the welfare of care, unlawful use of a computer, identity theft, forgery and theft by unlawful taking.
“She is charged with securing the nursing positions through staffing agencies by submitting fraudulently signed documents and also by creating a false LLC to deploy herself to jobs. Reports indicate Womack worked at each of these jobs for only a short time,” Pennsylvania State Police said in a news release.
Investigators say Womack ran this scheme over the past five years. She used several names. The aliases she allegedly used include Shannon Nicole Parham, Shannon Nicole Abiola, Shannon Nicole Armstrong, Shannon Abiola-Parham, Shannon Nicole Grimes, Shannon Nicole Lawson, Shannon Nicole Lethco, Shannon Nicole Robinson, Shannon Lee Lawson, and her legal name, Shannon Nicole Womack.
State police are asking healthcare employers to check their records and report any matches to those names.
Womack was arrested Monday after police began investigating her in April following a routine traffic stop where she gave fake identification. During the investigation, officers found she had used at least 10 aliases and seven Social Security numbers, according to state police.
A vehicle search uncovered multiple IDs, prescription medications for others, medical documents, and medical equipment, police said.
According to police, her scheme began in 2020 and eventually spread across several states on the East Coast. Gagliardi noted that the COVID-19 pandemic, which started that year, created high demand for nursing staff, which Womack exploited.
“During that COVID time, agencies needed extra help,” he said. “It wasn’t uncommon for facilities to call host agencies for shifts and she took advantage of that to continue her deception.”
The investigation is ongoing. Womack’s bail was set at $250,000. Her next court appearance is scheduled for July 29.