A Nigerian-born education professor and former nonprofit executive in Michigan, Nkechy Ezeh has been sentenced to nearly six years in prison for a $1.4 million fraud scheme involving funds meant for vulnerable preschool children.
Ezeh received 70 months in federal prison from Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, along with a concurrent 60-month sentence for tax evasion. She was also ordered to repay $1.4 million to victims and $390,174 to the Internal Revenue Service.
Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan said she diverted taxpayer and donor funds through the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), a nonprofit she founded to support preschool children in disadvantaged communities. The organization provided meals, transport, and other services before shutting down in 2023 after the fraud was uncovered.
Officials said Ezeh used the stolen funds for personal expenses, including travel to Hawaii, Europe, and Africa, a family wedding, and payments to relatives placed on a ghost payroll. Authorities also alleged she used intermediaries to move large sums to family members in Nigeria.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey condemned the scheme, saying the money was meant to support low-income children but was instead used for personal enrichment.
The case, investigated by HHS Office of Inspector General and IRS Criminal Investigation, also involved co-conspirator Sharon Killebrew, who was previously sentenced to 54 months in prison.
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