Nigerian Nurse in US Convicted: Bolarinwa Lures Two Women for Cheap Labor, Faces License Revocation
Moorestown, NJ – October 6, 2025
By Fellow Nurses Africa Correspondent
In a case that has ignited fierce debate within the African nursing diaspora, Bolaji Bolarinwa—a 51-year-old Nigerian-American registered nurse and advanced practice nurse from Moorestown, New Jersey—has agreed to the revocation of her professional licenses following her conviction for luring two vulnerable women from Nigeria to the United States and subjecting them to forced cheap labor. The Superior New Jersey Board of Nursing finalized the consent order on October 1, 2025, barring Bolarinwa from reapplying for licensure for 10 years, a decision that underscores the profound ethical breach in a profession built on trust and compassion.
A Deceptive Promise Turns to Exploitation
Between 2015 and 2016, Bolarinwa enticed the two women with false assurances of educational and professional opportunities in America, only to confiscate their passports upon arrival and coerce them into grueling, around-the-clock domestic servitude. Prosecutors detailed how the victims—isolated, under constant surveillance, and subjected to physical harm, threats of violence, and psychological abuse—were forced to perform household chores and childcare for minimal pay, effectively trapping them in modern-day bondage.
The ordeal ended in October 2016 when one victim, a student on a visa, confided in a college professor who promptly alerted the FBI. A federal jury convicted Bolarinwa in April 2024 on charges including forced labor, domestic servitude, and alien harboring for financial gain. In May 2025, she was sentenced to 45 months in federal prison, fined $35,000, and ordered to pay $87,518.72 in restitution to her victims. Her husband, also convicted, saw his sentence overturned on appeal.
Compounding the scandal, Bolarinwa failed to disclose her pending charges when renewing her nursing license in 2023, a deliberate omission that the Board deemed a direct threat to public safety.
Official Condemnation: “A Stark Betrayal of Nursing Principles”
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin was unequivocal in his statement: “The criminal acts this licensee perpetrated against her victims demonstrate an utter disregard for the safety of others and an appalling lack of compassion that has no place in the nursing profession. The revocation announced today protects the public from the very serious risk she posed as a practicing nurse.”
Elizabeth M. Harris, Acting Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, echoed this sentiment: “Bolaji Bolarinwa’s physical and mental abuse of two vulnerable women flies in the face of the fundamental principles of nursing. Her conduct and the unimaginable harm it caused to her victims more than warrants her removal from the nursing profession.”
The Board’s ruling emphasizes that such actions are “fundamentally incompatible” with a nurse’s duty to safeguard health and well-being, sending a clear message to the global healthcare community.
Ripples in the African Nursing Diaspora
This conviction strikes at the heart of the Nigerian nursing community in the US, where over 94,000 healthcare professionals from Nigeria alone contribute immensely to addressing staffing shortages in hospitals and clinics. For many immigrant nurses navigating licensure hurdles, cultural biases, and the “brain drain” from home countries, Bolarinwa’s actions represent a painful outlier that risks overshadowing their dedication.
“This is a heartbreaking betrayal,” shared Dr. Chidi Ezenwa, a Lagos-based nurse educator and Fellow Nurses Africa advocate. “Nigerian nurses in the US embody resilience and excellence, often working twice as hard to prove their worth. Cases like this erode trust and highlight the urgent need for community support networks to prevent exploitation—both as victims and perpetrators.”
Aisha Okoye, a New York-based Nigerian nurse, added: “As African nurses, we migrate for better lives, not to replicate the hardships we flee. This story reminds us to champion ethical migration and mentorship for our sisters arriving in the US.”
Bolarinwa has appealed her federal conviction, with a decision pending, but her professional fate in New Jersey is sealed.
A Call for Vigilance and Unity
Amid this tragedy, Fellow Nurses Africa sees an opportunity for reflection and action. With African healthcare workers filling critical roles—comprising nearly one-fifth of US-based African-born physicians and nurses—this incident amplifies calls for robust ethical training, anti-exploitation policies, and resources for immigrant professionals.
We urge our community to report suspicious activities, seek legal aid for visa challenges, and foster inclusive workplaces. Together, we can protect the integrity of our profession and honor the victims’ courage in speaking out.
For Nigerian nurses in the US facing similar pressures, resources like the American Nurses Association’s immigrant support toolkit and Fellow Nurses Africa’s mentorship programs are vital lifelines. Share your experiences below—your voice strengthens us all.
Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African nursing, we educate, inform and support nurses across Africa
