A MAN has been arrested in Malaga after posing as a qualified nurse for more than five years, reportedly securing contracts across both public and private healthcare services.
The suspect, a 49-year-old man, was detained by the Policia Nacional following an investigation launched at the request of the Malaga Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities believe he began working as a nurse in July 2020, at the height of the Covid pandemic, and went on to string together various short-term contracts in Malaga and Almeria.
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According to police sources, the man lacked any university degree or official registration, instead presenting falsified diplomas, academic transcripts and professional certificates to bypass hiring checks.
Investigators have confirmed that the registration number he used belonged to a real nurse unconnected to the case.
The deception is said to have unravelled after suspicions were raised by the Malaga Nursing Association, when the man was found to be working with ambulances linked to the 061 Emergency Health Service.
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The association alerted the Andalucian Health Service, which escalated the case to prosecutors.
As scrutiny intensified, the suspect was alleged to have bolstered his story by claiming he previously served as a military nurse in the Air Force – a claim that police later ruled out after consulting relevant authorities.
The man has been released pending trial and faces charges including professional intrusion and falsification of public documents.
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The case echoes a chilling precedent from 2018, when a Malaga court sentenced a woman who reportedly worked as a fake nurse for 20 years.
Both cases highlight the potential risk to patient safety and raise renewed questions over how professional credentials are verified.
In cases of concern, Spain’s Ministry of Health reminds patients that they are entitled to file claims, complaints or suggestions with the healthcare organisation that provided their care.
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