Nkechi Ezeh, a Nigerian-born Professor and founder of the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative in the US, has entered a guilty plea for the embezzlement of $1.4 million in public and private funds.
The defendant, alongside bookkeeper Sharon Killebrew, engaged in wire fraud and tax evasion by falsifying invoices and misappropriating federal Early Head Start grants for personal use.
The investigation revealed that the diverted funds supported extensive personal travel, while the conspiracy involved the criminal use of stolen identities to establish a shell organization.
Court records indicate much of the stolen $1.17 million linked to Killebrew’s role was wired to Nigeria, raising questions about potential property acquisitions there.
The theft forced ELNC to shutter in 2023, stripping essential preschool services from low-income children in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek, Michigan—areas where early education is critical for kindergarten readiness.
ELNC’s board hailed the plea as a step toward “accountability and justice,” noting Ezeh’s role as the scheme’s architect betrayed vulnerable families after years of hidden financial manipulation.
Ezeh faces up to 20 years for wire fraud and five years for tax evasion, with her formal plea set for January 14, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou in Lansing, Michigan.
She must pay $1.4 million in restitution to ELNC plus $390,000 to the IRS for unreported income from 2017-2022; Killebrew is already serving 54 months in prison.
Once celebrated as West Michigan Woman of the Year 2018 and a tenured professor with five children, Ezeh expressed remorse through her attorney, vowing full accountability.
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