Nigerian Professor Jailed 70 Months in US for $1.4m Fraud Scheme
Former nonprofit CEO sentenced for diverting funds meant for vulnerable children to personal use.
- Dr Nkechy Ezeh sentenced to 70 months for $1.4m fraud and tax evasion.
- Funds meant for low-income preschool children were allegedly misused for personal expenses.
- Nonprofit shut down, leading to job losses and disrupted services.
A United States federal court has sentenced Nigerian-born former nonprofit executive, Dr Nkechy Ezeh, to 70 months in prison for her role in a $1.4 million fraud scheme involving funds meant for vulnerable preschool children.
The sentence was delivered by Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, who also imposed a concurrent 60-month term for tax evasion and ordered Ezeh to pay $1.4 million in restitution, along with $390,174 to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
Ezeh, 61, founded and formerly led the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), a Michigan-based nonprofit that provided early childhood services in underserved communities. She also previously served as an associate professor and director of early childhood education at Aquinas College.
She was taken into federal custody immediately after sentencing.
During the ruling, Judge Jarbou described her conduct as “brazen and widespread,” calling her “a fraud and a thief,” and noting that the scheme involved misappropriation of funds intended for some of the region’s most vulnerable children.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Timothy VerHey, said Ezeh diverted donor and taxpayer funds meant for low-income children for personal use.
He stated that the stolen money was spent on personal travel to destinations including Hawaii, Europe and Africa, as well as a family wedding.
Prosecutors also revealed that she placed relatives on a “ghost payroll,” enabling them to receive large payments for little or no work, and allegedly used intermediaries to transfer funds to family members in Nigeria.
The nonprofit ELNC was funded through federal programs such as Head Start and the U.S. Department of Education, providing meals, transport and support services to children in low-income communities.
Following the fraud, the organisation shut down in 2023, resulting in the loss of services for preschools and the layoff of 35 employees.
A co-conspirator, former bookkeeper Sharon Killebrew, had earlier been sentenced to 54 months in prison for her role.
Authorities said the case underscores concerns about the misuse of federal grants and its impact on vulnerable communities, particularly children in low-income areas.
