Florida man arrested at job interview accused of posing as nurse using roommate’s credentials
Authorities say his nursing licenses were revoked in 2022 after findings that included drug diversion and driving under the influence.
Joseph Thomas Kinney, 55, was arrested during a staged job interview in DeLand, Florida, after investigators say he used a roommate’s nursing credentials to apply for multiple health‑care positions following the revocation of his own licenses.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office said detectives had been probing weeks of alleged applications using fraudulent credentials after a hiring manager reported Kinney in August for applying with forged nursing documentation. Kinney’s nursing licenses in Alabama, California and Florida were revoked in 2022 after disciplinary findings that included diversion of drugs from an employer, driving under the influence of drugs, providing false information and unprofessional conduct, the sheriff’s office said.
An arrest affidavit obtained by local media said a manager at Indigo Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation in Daytona Beach had first encountered Kinney during an October 2024 interview, noting he seemed nervous and presented documents with inconsistent details, including a driver’s license with conflicting information. When investigators learned Kinney was applying for another position in DeLand, they set up a controlled interview with detectives posing as hiring coordinators, the sheriff’s office said.
According to authorities, Kinney had applied for an estimated 10 to 15 nursing positions across Central Florida using the same stolen certifications. He was hired for two short stints in Seminole and Orange counties but worked less than a week at each, investigators said; it was unclear whether he was fired or resigned from those assignments.
Video released by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office showed Kinney being taken into custody without incident and appearing surprised as deputies arrested him. On the body‑camera footage he asked officers, “What did I do?”
Kinney was booked on two counts of practicing health care without a license and is being held at the Volusia County Jail on $20,000 bond, the sheriff’s office said.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about credential fraud in health care settings. In a separate incident in August, authorities north of Volusia County arrested a woman who allegedly worked under a counterfeit nursing license for about two years and provided care to more than 4,000 patients before her employers discovered the discrepancy when she was up for a promotion.
Investigators did not immediately release the names of the facilities where Kinney allegedly worked while using the stolen credentials. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office declined to provide additional details beyond the arrest affidavit, and court records were pending that may list further charges or proceedings. 
Prosecutors will review the sheriff’s investigation before deciding whether to file formal charges beyond the counts already lodged. Employers, licensing boards and law enforcement officials continue to urge health‑care facilities to verify credentials directly with state licensing agencies amid an uptick in reported cases of impersonation and forged documentation.