May 14, 2026 | SUNTV Global Channel News
A United States federal court has sentenced Nigerian-born nonprofit founder, , to 70 months in prison for masterminding a fraud scheme involving $1.4million meant for vulnerable preschool children in Michigan.
Ezeh, 61, was convicted for diverting taxpayer and donor funds intended to support underserved children through the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), a nonprofit organisation she founded.
The sentencing was announced by Timothy VerHey, while Chief U.S. District Judge described Ezeh as “a fraud and a thief,” stating that the scheme was “brazen and widespread.”
According to the , Ezeh also received a concurrent 60-month prison sentence for income tax evasion.
Judge Jarbou further ordered her to pay $1.4million in restitution to victims and an additional $390,174 to the . She was immediately remanded to prison to begin serving her sentence.
Authorities revealed that the stolen funds were originally allocated to support low-income children through ELNC, which received grants from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Early Head Start programme, the U.S. Department of Education, and private donors.
The organisation had reportedly provided meals, transportation, advocacy, educational funding, and support services for children attending preschools in underserved communities before the fraud scandal forced it to shut down operations in 2023.
Investigators said the collapse of the organisation left several preschools without funding and abruptly rendered 35 employees jobless.
Prosecutors further alleged that Ezeh used the stolen money to fund her personal lifestyle, including expensive trips to Hawaii, Europe, and Africa, as well as financing a family member’s wedding.
Authorities also accused her of placing relatives on a “ghost payroll,” enabling them to collect hundreds of thousands of dollars despite allegedly performing little or no work for the organisation.
Investigators claimed large sums of the diverted funds were transferred through “money mules” to family members in Nigeria.
Reacting to the judgment, Timothy VerHey condemned the act, stating that money meant for vulnerable children was selfishly diverted for personal enrichment.
“The stolen money could have supported hundreds of West Michigan children and their families,” he said.
The fraud case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General alongside the IRS Criminal Investigation Unit, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Stiffler prosecuted the matter.
Authorities said the case highlights the U.S. government’s renewed crackdown on fraud involving taxpayer funds under the newly established National Fraud Enforcement Division.
