A United States court in Michigan has sentenced Nigerian-born professor, Nkechy Ezeh, to 70 months imprisonment for masterminding a $1.4 million fraud involving funds meant for vulnerable preschool children.

Ezeh, founder of the non-profit organisation Early Learning Neighbourhood Collaborative (ELNC), was convicted for diverting taxpayer and donor funds intended to support underserved children in West Michigan.

The US district court also ordered her to repay $1.4 million in restitution and an additional $390,174 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for tax-related offences. She received a concurrent 60-month sentence for tax evasion.

According to prosecutors, Ezeh conspired with former ELNC bookkeeper, Sharon Killebrew, between 2017 and 2023 to siphon funds meant for children’s welfare programmes, including meals, transportation and educational support.

The fraud forced ELNC to shut down in 2023, leaving several preschools without funding and 35 employees jobless.

Reacting to the judgment, US Attorney Timothy VerHey described Ezeh’s actions as “reprehensible,” saying the stolen funds could have supported hundreds of low-income children and families.