Covid-19 pandemic fraud — COVID-19 Pandemic Fraud

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Julie DeVuono, 51, of Amityville, was sentenced following her guilty plea in September of 2023 to charges including filing forged COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards, money laundering, and filing false prescriptions for opioids.

Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney condemned DeVuono’s actions, stating she abused her authority as a nurse by engaging in criminal activities. DeVuono was ordered to surrender her nursing licenses and forfeit over $1.2 million in profits from her illicit enterprise.

DeVuono’s criminal conduct involved selling forged COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards and entering false information into the New York State Immunization Information System from June 15, 2021, to January 27, 2022. Customers were charged $220-$350 for false entries. She laundered proceeds through various accounts, including paying off her mortgage.

A subsequent investigation revealed DeVuono’s submission of false prescriptions for oxycodone to local pharmacies in Suffolk County from February 2019 to August 2021 for individuals who were not her patients, some of whom were relatives.

DeVuono and her corporation, “Kids-On-Call Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, P.C.,” pleaded guilty to various charges, including money laundering and forgery. They agreed to forfeit criminal proceeds totaling $1,252,540, surrender professional licenses, and cease operations of “Wild Child Pediatric Healthcare,” her pediatric office.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.