Two Long Island health workers have been arrested for allegedly falsifying COVID-19 vaccination cards in a cash-injection scheme that officials and reports raised more than $1.5 million.
Julie DeVuono, a 49-year-old nurse practitioner, and Marissa Urraro, a 44-year-old licensed practical nurse, are charged with $220 for adult fake cards and $85 for children, Suffolk County Police said friday.
“As nurses, these two individuals should understand the importance of having legitimate vaccination cards as we all work together to protect public health,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney K. Harrison.
The women allegedly ran the scam from November 2021 to this month, out of Wild Child Pediatric Healthcare in Amityville, which is owned and operated by DeVuono, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. told NBC 4.
The duo would then add the false information to the New York State Immunization Information System (“NYSIIS”) to falsely list the individuals as vaccinated.
During their arraignment on Friday, prosecutors also claimed the pair had forged vaccine cards for undercover NYPD officers, NBC 4 reported.
Investigators discovered $900,000 in cash in DeVuono’s home, prosecutors said. Financial records at DeVuono’s home would indicate that the duo made off with a profit of more than $1.5 million.
Both DeVuono and Urraro were charged with forgery. DeVuono was additionally charged with offering fraud.
