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.
