Celebrated Nigerian scholar Nkechy Ezeh has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and tax evasion after being arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States.
Ms Ezeh entered a plea deal on Friday before a U.S. District Court in Michigan, two days after her arrest, admitting to laundering more than $1.4 million through her now-defunct nonprofit, Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC).
Court documents showed that Ms Ezeh diverted NGO funds meant for early childhood education to finance personal expenses, including trips to Hawaii, Liberia, and Nigeria.
Investigators also revealed that most of the funds were wired to Nigeria, raising suspicions of property acquisitions. Ms Ezeh opted for a plea agreement rather than face indictment by a federal grand jury.
Reacting to the development, the ELNC board said, “We welcome the news of Nkechy Ezeh’s acceptance of responsibility for reckless and unconscionable actions.”
The board added that the fraud forced the organisation’s closure and deprived vulnerable children of services. Ms Ezeh agreed to pay $1.4 million in restitution and an additional $390,000 in unpaid taxes, with sentencing scheduled for January 2026.