Quebec woman accused of pretending to be a nurse for 20 years charged with fraud, identity theft
Nathalie Bélanger allegedly falsified documents submitted to hospital where she worked, court documents say
A woman who worked as a nurse at the hospital Jonquière, Que., for 20 years, despite allegedly having no training in nursing, has been charged with fraud, among other crimes.
Nathalie Bélanger, 50, is facing nine charges, including forgery and identity theft.
According to court documents obtained by Radio-Canada, she gave the hospital a fake CV, fake CEGEP diploma, a fake nursing licence and proof that she paid her membership fees to the Quebec Order of Nurses.
She's alleged to have used the licence number of another accredited nurse who has the same name and also works in the region, the documents say.
The regional health authority, the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS) du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, discovered the alleged fraud when Bélanger registered for a training program, and someone realized her date of birth didn't match their records.
An investigation was launched last spring, and Bélanger was fired. She is expected to appear in court for her arraignment next month.
with files from Radio-Canada