A Denton woman has been sentenced for committing Medicaid fraud after unlawfully posing as a registered nurse, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced over a week ago. Nicole Lynn Vanhorn, 38, was sentenced on January 22, 2025, after pleading guilty to one count of Medicaid fraud valued over $1,500.
Vanhorn was sentenced to five years, suspended in favor of five years of probation, with the first three years to be supervised by the Department of Parole and Probation. As part of her probation, she has been barred from practicing nursing without proper licensure, excluded from caring for vulnerable adults, and prohibited from working at any healthcare facility receiving state or federal funds.
In August 2023, Vanhorn fraudulently used the credentials of a registered nurse from Pennsylvania to gain employment at Denton Nursing and Rehab in Caroline County, Maryland. She falsely claimed to have attended the University of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania State University, neither of which had any record of her attendance. During her brief employment from August 11 to August 29, 2023, Vanhorn administered medications and provided nursing care, despite lacking the necessary qualifications.
Her actions resulted in the Maryland Medicaid program paying $3,576.20 for services that were never properly rendered.
“This case highlights the dangers posed when individuals pose as licensed medical professionals,” said Attorney General Brown. “By pretending to be a registered nurse, Ms. Vanhorn jeopardized the health and safety of vulnerable Marylanders, including the elderly and disabled.”
The investigation was led by the Medicaid Fraud and Vulnerable Victims Unit of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General, with support from various state and federal agencies.
The office’s Medicaid Fraud and Vulnerable Victims Unit is funded by both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the State of Maryland.
