The Pennsylvania State Police is asking healthcare companies to review their employment records as it investigates a woman who allegedly used at least 10 aliases to pose as a nurse for five years.
Shannon Nicole Womack, 39, allegedly used the aliases to pose as a licensed practical nurse, a registered nurse, and a registered nurse supervisor at rehabilitation and nursing homes across the state, according to a police press release.
She is facing several charges, including corrupt organizations, endangering the welfare of care, unlawful use of a computer, identity theft, forgery, theft by unlawful taking, and multiple other charges, state police said.
“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,” state police said.
If any of her aliases match employment records, the facilities are asked to call the state police.
Investigators confirmed that some of the names she used were 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 Shannon Nicole Womack.
It’s unclear whether she has retained an attorney.
The Bureau of Criminal Investigation began investigating Womack in April after a routine traffic stop in Pittsburgh, during which they claim she presented a fake ID, according to the criminal complaint. Police say her vehicle was registered in Georgia, but the registration had expired.
Inside the vehicle, troopers say they found several forms of ID, prescription medications from different nursing facilities that were prescribed to residents, medical documents, patient logs and medical equipment, according to the complaint.
Womack had multiple warrants in several states related to fraud and impersonating a nurse, according to state troopers.
Authorities allege she used the identities of four real healthcare workers from multiple southern states to obtain employment in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, Indiana, Tennessee, and Georgia. A probable cause affidavit states that she is not a licensed medical professional in any state.
She was also listed on the Georgia “Nursing Imposter Alerts” site, according to the affidavit. The State’s Attorney General issued a cease and desist order, but could not locate her.
In Pennsylvania, nine employers had placed Womack on “Do Not Retain” status due to professional misconduct before her arrest, according to investigators.
Authorities alleged that seven Social Security numbers were connected to Womack and accused her of using fake references to secure jobs and creating a phony staffing agency to funnel work to herself.
“She was going through proper host agency channels and then created her own, as like her own fake secretary, answering the phone call, giving it to herself,” Pennsylvania State Trooper Rocco Gagliardi said at a Monday news conference. “She put a lot of time and effort to get approved from these different agencies.”
During a brief stint at Southmont of Presbyterian Senior Care in Washington County, Pennsylvania, Womack allegedly diverted oxycodone pills intended for residents, according to a criminal complaint. Investigators stated that she was in charge of the medical cart during her shift and failed to distribute medication to residents.
“Five residents were affected by said acts as over 120 oxycodone 5mg pills were missing,” the affidavit reads.
Womack allegedly worked at the facility in March for one shift before being placed on “do not retain” status due to professional misconduct, according to the affidavit.
“This is a vile act or acts, I should say, not only taking advantage of older citizens in this way,” Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said at a news conference.
Police said the scheme dates back to the early days of the COVID pandemic when the need for nursing staff was critical.
“It wasn’t uncommon for these different residence locations, agencies to reach out to host agencies and say, we need some extra shifts filled,” said Gagliardi. “That started in 2020 and it was such an easy transition. She just kept going after that.”
