Michigan might have its own fraud scandal brewing.
After widespread fraud was uncovered in Minnesota’s day care and other government-funded social service programs, most of them run by people linked to the immigrant Somali community, the public’s crosshairs turned to state officials, particularly Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. Surely these people were not stealing billions from hardworking Americans without having help from public officials?
Similar questions may soon be asked in Michigan of its own programs and its Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer.
A former professor, Nigerian immigrant Nkechy Ezeh, pleaded guilty last month to wire fraud and tax evasion in a scheme that defrauded Michigan taxpayers out of over $1 million, according to news site MLive.
The misappropriated money had been intended for Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative, an early childhood education program for disadvantaged children. Ezeh was the founder and CEO of ELNC.
“The nonprofit closed in 2023 after Ezeh and former Director of Finance and Administration Sharon Killebrew were accused of embezzling more than $2.5 million combined over several years,” WZZM-TV reported.
Killebrew, 70, was sentenced to four years and six months in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion and conspiracy to defraud a federally funded program, according to MLive.
Ezeh faces 20 years for wire fraud. The charge of tax evasion could carry an additional five years in prison.
WOW. Nkechy Ezeh, a Nigerian who was appointed to a state executive committee by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D), pleaded GUILTY to stealing over $1 MILLION through an early childhood education nonprofit.
The fraud just keeps getting worse and worse. pic.twitter.com/rU3UhTqTFw
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 4, 2026
Nigerian news outlet Business Day reported Ezeh, a former professor at Aquinas College, did not shy away from the public eye, as Whitmer once put her on a state executive committee. She also won several “Woman of the Year” awards.
“Ezeh created nearly $500,000 in fraudulent invoices and established two fictitious daycare businesses to mask the movement of stolen funds,” Business Day reported. “The embezzled money reportedly financed a lavish lifestyle, including international travel to Hawaii, Liberia, and Nigeria.”
This is a woman who, in a 2022 interview with Voyage Michigan, once had the audacity to decry “structural racism” as a problem immigrants had to overcome.
But, as she put it, “with hard work, prayer, and the support of your immediate family, you keep going. I had to navigate the American system.”
CORRUPTION: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointee Nkechy Ezeh, who claimed “structural racism” after moving from Nigeria to Michigan, pleaded guilty to stealing more than $1 million from the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative NGO.
h/t @MIGOP pic.twitter.com/ctPWkfuA3b
— @amuse (@amuse) February 2, 2026
It seems the racism she was referring to involved difficulties faced in stealing money from Americans.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Stiffler spoke about who was harmed by her crimes. “The victims were mostly children of color under the age of five years old, 72 percent of whom lived below the federal poverty level in some of the poorest neighbourhoods in Kent County, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek,” he said.
Yes, indeed, the black immigrant complaining about racism was found to have been lining her pockets at the expense of poor minorities.
Amy DeLeeuw, president of the ELNC, did not hold back her anger with Ezeh, MLive reported.
“Her theft of millions of dollars intended for the most vulnerable of children was brazen, all-encompassing, and unconscionable,” she said. “To date, Nkechy has made no effort to repay any of the millions of dollars she stole.”
Ezeh has reportedly agreed to pay $1.4 million in restitution and pay $400,000 in back taxes.
Minnesota’s Quality Learing Center was not alone, but part of a greater issue exposed by YouTuber Nick Shirley.
Shirley’s latest efforts have been in California, another deep-blue state he claims has its own share of fraud.
He may want to visit Michigan next.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
The post Not Just the Somalis: Nigerian Honored by Gretchen Whitmer Exposed as Massive Day Care Fraudster – Stole While Trashing America’s ‘Structural Racism’ appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.