The former CEO of a West Michigan nonprofit dedicated to early childhood education has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and tax evasion. Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh, who led the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), is set to admit her role in embezzling approximately $1.4 million from the organization.
This development follows the earlier guilty plea of Sharon Killebrew, ELNC’s former Director of Finance and Administration, who was accused of stealing over $2.5 million in total alongside Ezeh. ELNC, a Grand Rapids-based organization serving children from low-income families, was forced to close its doors in 2023 due to the alleged widespread embezzlement.
The financial misconduct at ELNC had a profound impact on the community, depriving hundreds of young children, many from the poorest neighborhoods, of essential early learning services. These children, predominantly of color and under five years old, relied on ELNC for vital support, including meals and transportation to preschool.
In her plea agreement, Dr. Ezeh has committed to paying $1.4 million in restitution to compensate for the stolen funds. She will also pay nearly $400,000 in back taxes, acknowledging the tax evasion aspect of the charges. The exact prison sentence she faces will be determined at a future hearing.
The ELNC board of directors expressed a sense of relief and a call for accountability following Ezeh’s decision to plead guilty. They highlighted that her admission of responsibility, recognizing her as the “architect of the scheme,” is a crucial step toward closure after nearly three years of seeking justice for the community.
Sharon Killebrew was previously sentenced to 54 months in prison and ordered to pay over $1.4 million in restitution, with a two-year supervised release period to follow her incarceration. The combined actions of Ezeh and Killebrew resulted in the devastating closure of an organization that had, over its lifetime, assisted nearly 8,000 children and their families.
