Michigan – A former West Michigan nonprofit leader once recognized for her work in early childhood education will now spend nearly six years in federal prison after prosecutors said she turned money meant for vulnerable preschool children into a personal funding stream.
Dr. Nkechy Ezeh, 61, of Kent County, was sentenced Wednesday to 70 months in federal prison for leading a fraud scheme that stole $1.4 million from taxpayer-funded programs and private donors, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. She also received a concurrent 60-month prison sentence for evading income taxes.
Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, who handed down the sentence, described Ezeh as “a fraud and a thief” and called the conduct “brazen and widespread.”
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The judge also ordered her to pay $1.4 million in restitution to the victims of the fraud, along with $390,174 to the IRS. Ezeh was remanded directly to prison to begin serving her sentence immediately.
The case marked a dramatic fall for Ezeh, who founded the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative, or ELNC, a West Michigan nonprofit that served preschool children in underserved communities. The organization received support from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Early Head Start program, the U.S. Department of Education and private donors. Its work included meals, transportation, funding, advocacy and other services for young children and families.
Federal prosecutors said Ezeh used stolen money to support her own lifestyle, pay for a family member’s wedding and travel to Hawaii, Europe and Africa.
A sentencing memorandum also said she placed family members on a ghost payroll, leading ELNC to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for little or no work, and used money mules to send stolen funds to relatives in Nigeria.
“Nkechy Ezeh’s greed is beyond reprehensible,” U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said. “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. The stolen money could have supported hundreds of West Michigan children and their families. Judge Jarbou’s sentence was perfectly appropriate.”
The damage stretched beyond balance sheets. ELNC closed in 2023 because of the fraud, leaving preschools without funding, children without resources and 35 employees suddenly out of work. Prosecutors said many of the children affected were under age five, mostly children of color, and 72% lived below the federal poverty level in parts of Kent County, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek.
Sharon Killebrew, ELNC’s former bookkeeper and Ezeh’s co-conspirator, was sentenced in November 2025 to 54 months in federal prison.
“This case underscores the seriousness of misusing federal grant funds for personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas Ethridge of HHS-OIG. “Our commitment to protecting the integrity of HHS programs remains steadfast, and we will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to uphold these standards and ensure that violators are held accountable.”
The case was investigated by HHS-OIG and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Stiffler prosecuted the case.
More details are available from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan.