FDLE agents arrested Hanna Mark “John” Macool, of 1225 Belle Avenue, #182, Winter Springs, on one count each of grand theft, criminal use of personal identification information and criminal use of public records.
In August 2017, FDLE launched an investigation along with the Florida Department of Health and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office into allegations of criminal activity surrounding an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP) preceptor program at Macool’s father’s medical office, where the personal identifying information of multiple certified ARNPs was fraudulently utilized.
A nursing preceptor program is a formal, post-licensure educational program designed to increase knowledge, teaching and communication skills of nursing students. As part of this program, an ARNP student is required to obtain an ARNP preceptor who then teaches the student the skills needed to become an ARNP. The ARNP preceptor is required to fill out paperwork documenting the progress of the ARNP student and submit this to the student’s university, where they ensure that the educational and clinical requirements are met.
The investigation showed that John Macool orchestrated a scheme to fraudulently offer preceptor services to roughly 80 ARNP students. He fraudulently used the medical identities of 20 ARNPs who had never offered preceptor services for Dr. Macool’s practice. He forged their signatures on official forms, submitted fraudulent curricula vitae to universities, and facilitated the fraudulent use of the ARNPs’ national provider numbers to treat patients and bill Medicare and Medicaid. He also presented himself as one of the ARNPs when a university official visited the practice amid concerns of improprieties.
Dr. Macool’s practice received more than $37,000 from the universities in honorariums and other payments associated with the scheme.
Records show that John Macool is a convicted felon, with his Florida criminal history including prior arrests for forgery, theft, passing bad checks, larceny and multiple drug charges. Dr. Macool passed away in February 2018 of natural causes, and the medical practice is now closed.
Macool was booked into the Seminole County Jail on $30,000 bond. The case will be prosecuted by Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution.
