Nkechi Ezeh, a US-based Nigerian professor, has pleaded guilty to masterminding a massive wire fraud and tax evasion scheme, stealing over $1 million meant for early learning programs for poor children in Michigan. Ezeh, a former professor at Aquinas College and CEO of the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), admitted to diverting public funds to herself, friends, and family members.
The 45-year-old academic created fake invoices, set up fictitious daycare centers, and used the stolen money to fund a lavish lifestyle, including trips to Hawaii, Liberia, and Nigeria. The victims were mostly children of color under five, with 72% living below the federal poverty level in some of Michigan’s poorest neighborhoods.
Ezeh’s guilty plea comes with a hefty price tag: up to 20 years for wire fraud and an additional five years for tax evasion. She has agreed to pay $1.4 million in restitution and nearly $400,000 in unpaid taxes. Sentencing is scheduled for May 13.
The scandal has devastated the local community, shutting down a major non-profit, costing 35 jobs, and withdrawing support from families in need.
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