Pennsylvania State Police announced charges Monday against a woman they say has been posing as a nurse since 2020. They say she used the identities of four healthcare workers from southern states to get hired and work as an LPN, RN and RN supervisor across Pennsylvania.
According to the criminal complaint, the woman was stopped during a traffic stop in Pittsburgh in April and misidentified herself to police. They say her vehicle was registered in Georgia, but the registration had expired. Troopers say she had multiple warrants out of Georgia, New Jersey, Indiana and Tennessee related to fraud and impersonating a nurse.
Troopers say Shannon Nicole Womack, also known as Shannon Nicole Robinson, Shannon Nicole Lawson and a list of other names, had approximately 20 different aliases she’s used, as well as seven different social security numbers. They believe she worked as a nurse across several states, ranging from Georgia to Connecticut, but is not licensed to practice anywhere.
While searching her 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.
Investigators say she worked at the following facilities in Pennsylvania over the last year:
- Corner View Nursing and Rehabilitation in Allegheny County
- Eldercrest Rehabilitation in Allegheny County
- Harmar Village Care in Allegheny County
- Beaver Valley Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Beaver County
- Sayre Healthcare center in Bradford County
- St. Mary’s Home of Erie in Erie County
- Greenery Center for Rehab and Nursing in Washington County
- Southmont of Presbyterian in Washington County
- Oak Hill Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Westmoreland County
Womack appeared in court Monday and faces a list of charges, including identity theft, forgery, corrupt organizations and endangering the welfare of care-dependent persons.
“Shannon Womack is not a licensed professional in the state of Pennsylvania or any state that BCI was able to investigate,” Trooper Rocco Gagliardi said.
“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,” Gagliardi said. “She put a lot of time and effort to get approved from these different agencies.”
The affidavit said Womack is listed on Georgia’s website for nursing impostor alerts. Her name is listed, but investigators tell Channel 11 that Womack no longer looks like the person pictured on the website. Channel 11 asked for an updated photo of her and were told investigators are not releasing it.
According to court records, Womack worked at the nine facilities previously listed between one and ten shifts. She was placed on a “do not retain” list for misconduct, according to troopers, at all nine places.
In one example, at Southmont of Presbyterian Senior Care, she worked just one shift as an RN under the name Shannon Nicole Parham. Investigators say she was in charge of the medical cart during her shift and failed to distribute medicine to residents. “Five residents were affected by said acts as over 120 oxycodone 5mg pills were missing,” the affidavit reads.
“This is a vile act or acts, I should say, not only taking advantage of older citizens in this way but them not receiving the care that they need, let alone the medication they need because of someone that puts themselves in this position to defraud them,” said Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh.
Womack’s known aliases include: Angel Renee Kelly, Shannon Nicole Lawson, Shannon Nicole Parham, Shannon Nicole Abiola, Shannon Nicole Armstrong, Shannon Abiola-Parham, Shannon Nicole Womack, Shannon Nicole Lethes, Shannon Nicole Robinson and Shannon Lee Lawson.
Channel 11 reached out to the state Department of Health for comment. A spokesperson released the following statement. “The Department is aware of the situation and is working in conjunction with other state agencies to determine next steps.”
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