Grand Rapids Michigan Non-Profit
According to court documents, two former leaders of a Michigan nonprofit have been accused of embezzlement, fraud, and civil conspiracy, resulting in over $600,000 in damages and jeopardizing the future of the organization. The nonprofit, Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), has filed a lawsuit against its former CEO, Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh, and former director of finance and administration, Sharon Killebrew. The nonprofit, which partners with other organizations to support at-risk youth in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek, claims that both Ezeh and Killebrew were terminated after an internal investigation. Ezeh was accused of creating multiple groups to transfer money from ELNC to herself, her family, and friends, causing the organization to lose at least $343,000. Killebrew was accused of causing almost $313,000 in damages, including large payments approved unbeknownst to the board. After a whistleblower came forward in 2023, ELNC launched an investigation and fired Ezeh, Killebrew, and others, but many interim team members resigned due to the financial mess left behind. The nonprofit is seeking to recoup the funds and calls on the former leaders to do the right thing and return the money. return the money.
What Happened In This Embezzlement
Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC)
According to court documents, the Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative (ELNC), a Michigan nonprofit that supports underserved youth, has filed a lawsuit against its former leaders, Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh and Sharon Killebrew, for allegedly causing over $600,000 in damages. The complaint, filed on Friday, accuses Ezeh of creating multiple groups to send money from ELNC to herself and her family and friends, causing the nonprofit to suffer significant losses.
Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh and Sharon Killebrew
Both Ezeh and Killebrew were terminated after an internal investigation, and News 8 tried to reach out to them for comment. Killebrew, however, denied any wrongdoing and claimed that all invoices were approved and audited by the board. She also stated that she was hired on a contractual basis and had to hire others to help with the workload. According to court documents, ELNC functions by securing grants and distributing money to partner organizations.
PONA Consulting
The complaint alleges that in 2010, Ezeh formed PONA Consulting and in 2022, created the Early Years Coalition (EYC), which she used to transfer $228,000 from ELNC to herself. The documents also claim that EYC transferred $110,000 to PONA Consulting, and the remaining $118,000 was distributed amongst Ezeh’s family and friends. ELNC calculated that these actions resulted in a loss of at least $343,000.
$656,000 Stolen
In December 2021, Killebrew allegedly requested additional payments totaling $75,000, which were approved by Ezeh without informing the board. Killebrew is accused of causing a minimum of $313,000 in damages to ELNC. Overall, the nonprofit claims that Ezeh and Killebrew’s actions have caused at least $656,000 in damages, in addition to lost revenues and damage to ELNC’s reputation.
ELNC stated that after a whistleblower came forward in 2023, an investigation was launched, and Ezeh, Killebrew, and others were fired. However, many other board members resigned due to the amount of work that needed to be done. The interim executive team also resigned due to the financial mess left behind. Lawyer Brian Lennon, who is representing ELNC, stated that the board has a duty to recover the stolen funds and is calling on Ezeh and Killebrew to return the money. He said, “We filed this lawsuit so we can recoup these funds.” ELNC stated that Ezeh and Killebrew’s actions have “decimated” the nonprofit.
