A Brazilian woman was arrested Monday after allegedly obtaining a diploma online for $8 and posing as a doctor at a local hospital, the New York Post reported.
Milian Santana, 27, was arrested on suspicion of impersonating a doctor. according to to the New York Post. It turned out that she was treating nearly 30 patients on her first day at her local hospital. Santana managed to secure a job as a doctor using her diploma, which she allegedly purchased online for $8. The document falsely stated that she completed her medical studies in 2022, when her degree program began, exposing her fraud.
Fake Brazilian doctor treats 30 patients at hospital after buying $8 degree online https://t.co/W0Wmamolkf pic.twitter.com/lk47kedP78
— New York Post (@nypost) March 9, 2024
The ruse came to light when a fellow medical worker became suspicious and checked her registration number, which turned out to belong to a legitimate doctor, the New York Post reported. It is said that When confronted with her evidence, Santana confessed to purchasing her fake diploma online. She reportedly told police that her day job is as a speech therapist and her monthly income is about $802, but this claim has not yet been confirmed by authorities, the newspaper said. (Related: Report: Doctor accused of performing ultrasound on man's genitals in bedroom suspended by medical board)
An investigation revealed Santana obtained the job through an outsourcing company contracted by city officials, the New York Post reported. She was charged with unlawful exercise of her profession, forgery of ideology, use of false documents, endangering her life, and attempted embezzlement. She is currently being held in Tupi Paulista as civilian police investigate the matter.
