Governor Gretchen Whitmer Appointee Sentenced After Stealing $1.4 Million From Preschool Nonprofit

LANSING, MI – A professor appointed by Gretchen Whitmer has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison after prosecutors said she stole $1.4 million from a nonprofit meant to help low income preschool children in Michigan.

Federal Judge Hala Jarbou sentenced 61 year old Nkechy Ezeh to 70 months in prison after calling her “a fraud and a thief.” Prosecutors said Ezeh used the nonprofit she founded to funnel money intended for vulnerable children into her own pocket while also evading taxes.

Ezeh was also ordered to pay $390,174 tied to tax evasion charges connected to the case.

The conviction is now raising more questions about oversight and accountability surrounding Whitmer administration appointees and state connected programs.

Critics point to several other major controversies and missing funds connected to Michigan government programs and officials, including:

• The Beydoun embezzlement scandal involving roughly $20 million
• Questions surrounding nearly $1 billion in SOAR spending tied to 1,846 jobs
• Reports of $19.5 million in unaccounted child care subsidy funds

The case is also fueling new questions:

• How was Nkechy Ezeh vetted before being appointed?
• Were there warning signs before the theft was uncovered?
• How long did the money disappear before anyone noticed?
• Did anyone else inside state government know what was happening?

In the end, prosecutors said $1.4 million intended for low income preschool children never reached the people it was supposed to help.

How many more Whitmer appointees are currently under investigation or facing questions over taxpayer money?