By Latrishka Thomas
“At the very young age she sought to ‘forge’ a pathway in the medical field.” Those were the words of the attorney representing a former nurse who falsified vaccination cards, as he pleaded to the court for a monetary sentence on her behalf.
The irony of this statement was palpable, as the accused, Jahmesha Millwood of Bolans, essentially admitted to undermining public health efforts by orchestrating an elaborate vaccination card fraud scheme during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The former nurse, a then 29-year-old, was charged with 21 counts of forgery and one count of larceny of blank vaccination cards.
She initially denied the allegations before Justice Tunde Bakre in March, but changed course during last month’s court appearance, entering guilty pleas to all charges.
Now, as Millwood faces sentencing, her attorney Lawrence Daniels pleaded with the court for leniency (a fine), arguing that the once well-respected nurse is “deeply sorry, embarrassed and remorseful” over what he deemed was “not her proudest moment”.
Daniels claimed that Millwood’s “hopes, dreams and future prospects have been shattered” by the public fallout from the matter.
The fraud was discovered after an IT team’s absence on November 13, 2021 led to a new protocol requiring nurses to hold vaccination cards for later digital processing. Millwood, acting as a screening nurse, exploited this temporary disruption of the system.
The scheme unravelled when residents began arriving at the vaccination centre with completed cards just days after a crucial IT system outage.
The suspicious timing and familiar signatures prompted an internal investigation that eventually involved police and a handwriting expert.
While her role allowed her to write on vaccination cards, she had no authority to certify vaccinations – a right reserved exclusively for the nurses who had administered the shots.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that she charged at least $1,000 for each card.
Justice Tunde Bakre has adjourned the matter for sentencing on November 13.
