U.S. court jails Nigerian professor for nearly six years over preschool fraud scheme

A U.S. federal court has sentenced Nigerian-born academic Nkechy Ezeh to 70 months in prison for defrauding a nonprofit organisation of $1.4 million meant to support low-income preschool children.

The former Michigan nonprofit executive was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, alongside a separate concurrent 60-month sentence for tax evasion.

Federal prosecutors said Ezeh misappropriated funds from the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), an organisation she founded to provide meals, transportation, advocacy and educational support for children in disadvantaged communities.

Describing the fraud during sentencing, Judge Jarbou called Ezeh “a fraud and a thief” and labelled the scheme “brazen and widespread.”

The court ordered her to pay back $1.4 million to victims and $390,174 to the IRS.

Reacting to the judgment, U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said: “Nkechy Ezeh’s greed is beyond reprehensible.”

“She stole taxpayer and private-donor dollars meant for low-income children in our community. Instead of helping kids, she spent that money on herself,” he added.

Investigators said Ezeh used the stolen funds for luxury travel, personal expenses and a family wedding, while also placing relatives on a ghost payroll.

Authorities further alleged that money mules were used to move hundreds of thousands of dollars to relatives in Nigeria.

Before the scandal, Ezeh was regarded as a respected figure in Michigan’s education sector and was named West Michigan Woman of the Year in 2018.

The fraud caused ELNC to shut down in 2023, leaving needy children without support services and resulting in the loss of 35 jobs.

Ezeh’s former associate, Sharon Killebrew, had earlier been sentenced to 54 months imprisonment for participating in the fraud.

According to Thomas Ethridge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the case reflects the government’s commitment to protecting public funds and preventing abuse of federal grants.

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