By Our Correspondent

National News – A United States federal court has sentenced Nigerian-born professor and former nonprofit executive, Nkechy Ezeh, to 70 months in prison for masterminding a $1.4 million fraud scheme involving funds meant for vulnerable preschool children in Michigan.

The sentencing was handed down by Chief US District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou on Wednesday in the Western District of Michigan.

According to US prosecutors, Ezeh, 61, diverted taxpayer and donor funds intended for low-income children through the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative, a nonprofit organisation she founded and led in West Michigan.

Authorities said the fraud affected programmes designed to provide meals, transport and educational support for disadvantaged preschool children.

The court also imposed a concurrent 60-month sentence for tax evasion and ordered Ezeh to repay $1.4 million in restitution, alongside $390,174 to the Internal Revenue Service.

Prosecutors revealed that she used the stolen funds for luxury trips to Hawaii, Europe and Africa, as well as family-related expenses, including a wedding.

Investigators further disclosed that Ezeh placed relatives on a ghost payroll, allowing them to receive large payments for little or no work.

Some of the stolen money was reportedly transferred through intermediaries to family members in Nigeria.

US Attorney Timothy VerHey condemned the fraud, saying funds meant to improve the lives of struggling children were instead used for personal gain.

Judge Jarbou also described the scheme as “brazen and widespread,” stressing that it targeted resources meant for vulnerable communities.

The nonprofit organisation shut down in 2023 following the fraud investigation, leading to job losses and funding cuts for several preschools.

Authorities said the investigation was carried out by the US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the IRS Criminal Investigation unit.