A United States federal court has sentenced Nigerian-born former nonprofit chief executive, Dr Nkechy Ezeh, to 70 months in prison for masterminding a $1.4 million fraud involving taxpayer and donor funds meant for vulnerable preschool children.
The sentence was announced in a press release on Wednesday by the Office of the US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan.
Chief US District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, who delivered the ruling, also handed down a concurrent 60-month sentence for tax evasion and ordered Ezeh to pay $1.4 million in restitution as well as $390,174 to the US Internal Revenue Service.
Ezeh, 61, from Kent County, Michigan, was the founder and former CEO of Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative, a West Michigan nonprofit focused on early childhood services in underserved communities.
She is also a former Associate Professor of Education and Director of Early Childhood Education Programme at Aquinas College.
She was immediately taken into federal custody after sentencing.
During proceedings, Judge Jarbou described Ezeh as “a fraud and a thief,” adding that the scheme was “brazen and widespread,” and involved funds meant for some of the most vulnerable children in the region.
US Attorney Timothy VerHey said Ezeh diverted money meant for low-income children for personal use, describing her actions as driven by greed and completely unacceptable.
Court records showed she spent the stolen funds on personal travel, including trips to Hawaii, Europe, and Africa, as well as a family wedding.
Prosecutors also alleged that she placed relatives on a “ghost payroll,” allowing them to receive large payments for little or no work, and used intermediaries to send stolen money to family members in Nigeria.
The nonprofit, ELNC, which was funded by US federal programmes and private donors, shut down in 2023 after the fraud was uncovered, leading to job losses and disruption of early childhood services.
A co-conspirator, Sharon Killebrew, a former bookkeeper, was earlier sentenced to 54 months in prison for her role in the scheme.
Authorities said the case highlights abuse of public funds and its negative impact on vulnerable communities, especially children from low-income backgrounds.
