Nigerian professor sentenced to 70 months in U.S. prison for $1.4 million school fraud.

Nkechy Ezeh, a Nigerian‑born education professor and former nonprofit executive in Michigan, was sentenced to almost six years in federal prison after orchestrating a $1.4 million fraud that diverted money earmarked for vulnerable preschool children in underserved communities.

Chief U.S. District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou imposed a 70‑month federal prison term on Ezeh, and she received a concurrent 60‑month sentence for tax evasion.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan said Ezeh siphoned taxpayer and donor money meant for low‑income children through the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), a nonprofit she founded that offered meals, transportation, advocacy and other services to preschool