< img src="https://edugist.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/FB_IMG_1778748212371.jpg"alt =" "> A United States district court in Michigan has sentenced Nigerian-born education professor, Nkechy Ezeh, to 70 months jail time for orchestrating a $1.4 million scams plan involving taxpayer and donor funds meant for susceptible preschool children.
The sentencing was bied far by Hala Jarbou, who explained Ezeh as “a fraud and a thief” whose actions amounted to a “brazen and widespread” theft of resources intended for disadvantaged children in West Michigan.
Ezeh, an associate teacher of education and founder of the Early Learning Area Collaborative, was implicated of diverting funds provided by the US Department of Health, Department of Education and personal donors for personal use.
According to a statement released by US authorities, the court likewise purchased Ezeh to pay $1.4 million in restitution to victims of the scams and an extra $390,174 to the Internal Revenue Service (INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE) over tax-related offenses.
The judge further imposed a concurrent 60-month jail sentence for tax evasion.
Ezeh had pleaded guilty in December 2025 to charges bordering on wire fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion. Court files exposed that between 2017 and 2023, she conspired with Sharon Killebrew and others to defraud the organisation of approximately $1.4 million.
Authorities stated the financial misbehavior forced ELNC to shut down operations in 2023, leaving a number of preschools in West Michigan without financing and depriving numerous low-income children of important instructional assistance and welfare services.
The collapse of the organisation also led to the abrupt layoff of 35 workers without previous notice.
Killebrew, who acted as the organisation’s accountant, had earlier been sentenced in November 2025 to 54 months in federal prison for her participation in the plan.
Reacting to the judgment, Timothy VerHey condemned Ezeh’s actions, saying the taken funds might have changed the lives of numerous kids and families.
“Nkechy Ezeh’s greed is beyond wicked,” VerHey stated.
“She stole taxpayer and private-donor dollars indicated for low-income kids in our neighborhood. Rather of assisting kids, she invested that money on herself.
“The stolen cash might have supported hundreds of West Michigan children and their households. Judge Jarbou’s sentence was perfectly proper.”