New York State Department of Health Announces Historic $544K Penalty Against Former Suffolk County Nurse Practitioner for Fraudulent Vaccination Practices

Department of Health Found Julie DeVuono Submitted Fraudulent Vaccination Records for 162 Children to New York's Immunization Registry

ALBANY, N.Y. (July 9, 2026) - The New York State Department of Health today announced it has imposed a $544,000 civil penalty against former Suffolk County nurse practitioner Julie DeVuono, who was found to have falsified vaccination records for 162 school-aged children. This is the largest civil penalty imposed for vaccination fraud in the Department of Health's 125-year history, exceeding a then-unprecedented $300,000 civil penalty imposed in Fall 2023.

"Vaccines are the best protection against serious preventable diseases, and the New York State Department of Health has zero tolerance for those that misrepresent or falsify vaccination records as these acts put lives in jeopardy," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. "Make no mistake, the Department will investigate and hold those accountable who so brazenly undermine our public health system and endanger the health and safety of our communities."

Following an administrative hearing held last year, State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald adopted the Administrative Law Judge's Report and Recommendation, sustaining the Department's charges that DeVuono falsely reported having administered at least one vaccination to 162 different pediatric patients in violation of Public Health Law between November 2019 and January 2022 and imposing a $544,000 civil penalty. The Commissioner's Order is available here.

An investigation by the Department of Health's Bureau of Investigations determined that DeVuono, previously of Amityville, submitted information to the New York State Immunization Information System ("NYSIIS") about hundreds of standard pediatric vaccinations that were never administered. Her false vaccination scheme mostly included children from Long Island and the Hudson Valley but also included children from New York City and as far as the Capital District.

Over the last two school years, the Department has deleted false immunization information that DeVuono submitted to NYSIIS. Affected families were required to provide proof of immunization from providers other than DeVuono before their child could return to school.

This investigation followed DeVuono's arrest in January 2022 on charges related to her large-scale COVID-19 vaccination card scheme. The Department worked with the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, the Suffolk County Police Department, and the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General on that investigation. DeVuono pled guilty to criminal charges related to the COVID-19 vaccination scheme in September 2023 and was sentenced in June 2024 pursuant to a plea agreement. Among other things, the plea agreement required DeVuono to surrender her nursing licenses and forfeit more than $1.2 million of proceeds related to her crimes. She is currently serving a five-year probationary sentence. The $544,000 civil penalty that DeVuono must now pay the Department is in addition to the $1.2 million she has already forfeited as part of the criminal case.

The vaccinations that were part of DeVuono's childhood-vaccination fraud scheme included: diphtheria, tetanus toxoid-containing and pertussis vaccination (DTaP or Tdap); hepatitis B vaccination; measles, mumps and rubella vaccination (MMR); measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (Chickenpox) vaccination (MMRV); polio vaccination; varicella (Chickenpox) vaccination; meningococcal conjugate vaccination (MenACWY and MCV4); and the Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccination (HiB) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccination (PCV) required for day care and pre-k.

The immunizations currently required by New York State for enrollment and attendance in schools can be found here.

The State Health Department continues to partner with, engage, educate, and support school officials, local health departments, law enforcement, and other stakeholders around the State to increase awareness, detect, report and enforce against vaccination fraud. A vaccination-fraud fact sheet may be accessed on the Department's website to help schools recognize potentially fraudulent immunization records.

The U.S. has the most effective vaccine supply in its history with systems in place that ensure vaccines are safe. Vaccination is the best protection from preventable serious diseases. Learn more about vaccine safety here.

Find more information on New York's Immunization Laws and Regulations here.

Find more information about school vaccination fraud and other investigations conducted by the Department here.

New Yorkers can report vaccine fraud by emailing STOPVAXFRAUD@health.ny.gov.