A Nigerian-born United States green card holder and university professor, Nkechy Ezeh, has admitted to looting $1 million (£780,000) meant for poor children in a massive childcare fraud and tax evasion scandal in Michigan.
Ezeh, now facing up to 25 years in federal prison, pleaded guilty to running an elaborate wire fraud scheme that prosecutors say robbed vulnerable families to fund a life of luxury.
According to court filings, the professor set up fake daycare centres, forged invoices and diverted public childcare subsidies into her personal accounts — sharing the stolen funds with friends and family members.
Investigators said the money was splurged on luxury cars, designer living and lavish trips to Hawaii, Liberia and Nigeria, while children in struggling neighbourhoods were left short-changed.
In a stunning twist, Ezeh reportedly blamed her crimes on “greed, temptation and the devil” during proceedings.
U.S. prosecutors painted a grim picture of the victims.
“Most of the victims were children of colour under the age of five,” said Assistant U.S.
Attorney Clay Stiffler, adding that 72 per cent lived below the federal poverty line in some of the poorest areas of Kent County, Kalamazoo and Battle Creek.
Authorities confirmed that after serving any jail term, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will take over the case, opening the door to possible deportation.
The scandal has triggered outrage online, with critics calling it a shocking abuse of trust and a betrayal of the very communities the childcare programme was meant to protect.
