NY nurses busted for forging vax cards in $1.5M scheme

By Edward Era Barbacena

Two Long Island healthcare white workers were busted for allegedly forging COVID-19 vaccination cards in a cash injection scheme that raked in over $1.5 million, according to officials and reports.

Julie DeVuono, a 49-year-old nurse practitioner, and Marissa Urraro, a 44-year old licensed practical nurse, are accused $220 for fake cards for adults and $85 for children, the Suffolk County Police Department said Friday.

“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 K. Harrison said.

The women allegedly ran the scam from November 2021 until 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 bogus information into the New York State Immunization Information System (“NYSIIS”) to falsely list the individuals as vaccinated.

At their arraignment on Friday, prosecutors also alleged that the pair forged vaccine cards for undercover NYPD officers, NBC 4 reported

Investigators uncovered $900,000 in cash at DeVuono’s home, prosecutors said. Financial records at DeVuono’s home allegedly showed the duo made off with more than $1.5 million profits.

Both DeVuono and Urraro were charged with forgery. DeVuono was additionally charged with a count of offering fraud.