LONG ISLAND, N.Y. — Two Long Island nurses are accused of pocketing as much as $1.5 million after forging official COVID-19 vaccination cards and adding the fraudulent information to New York’s statewide database.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office on Friday announced the arrests of Julie DeVuono, 49, and Marissa Urrao, 44, who worked at Wild Child Pediatric Healthcare in Amityville, WNBC reported.
“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,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said in a prepared statement.
Prosecutors allege that DeVuono and Urrao charged $220 per forged card for adults and $85 per child, The New York Times reported.
The #Suffolk County DA arrested two people including the owner of an Amityville pediatric office for selling fake Covid-19 vaccine cards. $220 for adults, $85 for children. Ledgers show they may have made $1.5 million dollars from this illegal scheme #NBC4NY pic.twitter.com/jm0bcOkCeX
— Pei-Sze Cheng (@PeiSzeCheng4NY) January 28, 2022
DeVuono, who owned and operated the facility, has been charged with one count of offering a false instrument for filing, while both women have been charged with one count each of second-degree forgery, the newspaper reported.
The scheme spanned November 2021 through the suspects’ January arrests, WNBC reported.
“As nurses, these two individuals should understand the importance of legitimate vaccination cards as we all work together to protect public health,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison said in a prepared statement.
In addition to $900,000 in U.S. currency located at DeVuono’s residence, investigators also found a ledger documenting profits from the lucrative three-month scheme, WNBC reported.
Urraro’s lawyer, Michael Alber, told the Times that his client pleaded not guilty and was released without bail.
“We look forward to highlighting the legal impediments and defects in this investigation,” Alber told the newspaper, adding, “An accusation should not overshadow the good work Ms. Urraro has done for children and adults in the medical field.”
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