Whitmer appointee from Nigeria confesses to day-care fraud, taking millions from Michigan taxpayers

Michigan Professor Pleads Guilty to Fraud

Minnesota isn’t the only state facing issues with immigrants exploiting welfare systems; Michigan has similar concerns. A former professor at Aquinas College, Nkesi Eze, recently admitted to committing wire fraud that cost taxpayers around $1 million, leading to the demise of an organization intended to support early childhood education for low-income families.

Eze, who has ties to Nigeria, faced a possible 20-year prison sentence for her fraudulent activities, alongside an extra five years for tax evasion.

Interestingly, after immigrating to the U.S., Eze frequently discussed “structural racism,” even while collecting various awards and accolades. She received the West Michigan Women’s Brilliance Award in 2018 and was named Woman of the Year, along with being appointed in 2020 to a key committee focused on early childhood investment in Michigan.

This recognition seemed to fuel her ambitions, it appears, as she attempted to live extravagantly at the expense of taxpayers.

Reports from a whistleblower revealed that during her tenure as the CEO of the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative, Eze utilized an intricate web of organizations to siphon off taxpayer money for herself, friends, and family.

According to the complaint filed against her, Eze and a bookkeeper, Sharon Killebrew, collaborated to raise funds while Killebrew secretly compensated herself nearly $1 million from 2017 to 2023.

Documents showcased that Eze created fake invoices and established two sham daycare businesses in order to divert substantial funds for personal use, which allegedly included trips to various destinations like Hawaii and Nigeria.

By September 2023, the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative filed a lawsuit against Eze and Killebrew. However, the damage was irreversible, resulting in the closure of the organization and the loss of support for countless Michigan families.

Victims of Eze’s actions particularly included young children from impoverished backgrounds, many of whom lived below the federal poverty line.

Killebrew initially claimed innocence but eventually pleaded guilty in the face of substantial evidence. She received a 54-month prison sentence and was ordered to repay her ill-gotten gains.

Like her accomplice, Eze also denied wrongdoing at first but later acknowledged her embezzlement of over $1 million.

Eze’s attorney stated that she recognizes the severity of her actions and expresses remorse for the impact of her crime. The president of the nonprofit expressed disappointment in Eze’s lack of a meaningful explanation during court and emphasized that her theft was egregious.

To date, Eze hasn’t made attempts to return the financial losses inflicted upon the organization. She has reportedly agreed to repay $1.4 million to various federal programs associated with Early Head Start and an additional $400,000 in unpaid taxes.