By Kim Predham for the Ocean County Observer
A Stafford woman who allegedly passed herself off as a nurse for autistic children has been indicted on charges that she practiced medicine without a license and raked in more than $230,000 for her services and others intended for her son.
Nancie Fisher, 48, of Float Avenue in Stafford’s Manahawkin section, was indicted last week on charges of five counts of theft and two counts of practicing medicine as an unlicensed person.
Fisher, whose credentials were questioned by police last year, earned approximately $215,107.08 between 2001 and 2005 for work she performed for UnitedHealthcare, Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Martin J. Anton said.
Fisher was paid between Feb. 12, 2001, and June 2005, according to the indictment. At the end of that period, Anton said, she was working as a director of nursing at the company. She was supervising nurses, Anton said, even though authorities have been unable to find any evidence that she received formal training in that field.
Last week’s indictment states that she claimed on an employment application to be licensed as a registered nurse. She also claimed to be a board-certified behavioral analyst, Anton said.
Fisher (a.k.a. Nancy Chatsko) was charged with similarly deceiving A Plus Home Health Service, a Barnegat company, between Nov. 15 and Dec. 30, 2004.
The company sent her out to care for homebound individuals, Anton said.
The charges that she practiced medicine without a license stem from her nursing employment, Anton said. The offenses allegedly occurred between November 2004 and June in Point Pleasant and between September 2002 and February 2003 in Lacey.
While employed at UnitedHealthcare and A Plus Home Health Service, Fisher allegedly offered her services to two Ocean County families with autistic children.
Anton declined to go into detail, but said that Fisher was hired to observe and evaluate the children and make recommendations to schools for care or treatment. She did not prepare promised reports, he said.
Fisher took $1,167 from David and Leanne Laboy of Barnegat between Aug. 19 and Dec. 13, 2004, after claiming to have a doctorate in education and other qualifications for educating autistic children, the indictment states.
She also allegedly took $1,500 from Alex Deluca for services to be performed for a family between Nov. 1, 2004, and Jan. 4, 2005. Published reports previously identified the family as the Mennicuccis of Beachwood.
In a fifth count of theft, Fisher is charged with keeping $14,801.54 she received from Southern Regional School District that was meant to pay for her autistic son’s out-of-district tuition.
The district reimbursed Fisher approximately $18,000 for the tuition, Anton said. Only about $4,000 made it to the school, he said.
Fisher, who Anton said is out on bail, could not be located for comment.
If convicted, Fisher faces up to 40 years in prison.