The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced federal charges against a Tennessee woman who allegedly used the identities of two women with similar names to falsely present herself as a nurse and scam over 30 healthcare providers, in an investigation tied to the Trump administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Court records reveal the indictment against Heather May Wilbanks Greene was issued last week, and U.S. Attorney Michael Dunavant confirmed the charges in a Tuesday press release, alleging she orchestrated “a multi-year scheme to impersonate a licensed registered nurse” involving identity theft and wire fraud.
According to the indictment, Greene used the Tennessee license numbers for two registered nurses who share the same first and last names, but have different middle names, despite allegedly having never completed nursing school, obtained a degree, pursued her nursing license, or passed the required standardized exam to become a nurse.
The indictment claims that Greene used the other women’s identities to obtain employment at more than 30 facilities across Tennessee and Arkansas, including nursing homes and correctional facilities. While employed at these facilities, Greene allegedly performed tasks assigned to educated and credentialed nurses, including administering medications, accessing private patient records, evaluating patients, and diagnosing medical conditions.
Businesses and institutions where Greene allegedly worked under false pretenses include Tyson Foods, CoreCivic’s Whitehaven Correctional Facility, the Wellpath Staffing company contracted to provide medical services for Shelby County Jail in Memphis, and multiple rehabilitation facilities, according to the indictment.
“Eliminating fraud by medical personnel and others who misuse their positions of trust to blatantly disregard and endanger the lives of others for their own financial gain is a top priority for this administration,” stated Dunavant.
The prosecutor said, “We thank our federal agency partners for their diligent and thorough investigations to root out healthcare fraud, and we stand ready to hold offenders accountable for their crimes of dishonesty.”
Greene is charged with two counts of identity theft and one count of wire fraud.
In its press release, Dunavant’s office described the arrest as part of a “new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat healthcare fraud,” and revealed the charges against Greene were part of a coordinated effort against a total of 455 defendants, which includes doctors and other professionals, accused of generating more than $6.5 billion in false claims and harm to patients.
The White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud was established by President Donald Trump on March 16, with Vice President JD Vance serving as its chair. On April 7, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) would create the National Fraud Enforcement Division to work with Vance’s task force.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
