Illinois woman convicted of stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings
The former food service director of a Chicago-area school district has been sentenced to nine years in prison for stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings.
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Despite being convicted of stealing food from children during the Covid pandemic, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones offered to take over $1.5 million worth of chicken wings stolen by a former food service manager in exchange for the woman’s release from prison.
Vera Liddell, who served as principal for Harvey School District 152 near Chicago, is incarcerated in the Cook County Jail on charges of theft and running a criminal organization, WGN, ABC News and CBS News reported. She pleaded guilty to the charges on Aug. 9 and was sentenced to nine years in prison, the media reported, citing prosecutors.
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Liddell, 68, stole the mountains of meat intended as take-out meals for students who were taking distance learning classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, WGN reported, citing the Cook County Attorney’s Office.
In a social media post on Tuesday, Jones said: “I will pay for the wings she stole to get her released.”
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How did Vera Liddell steal the chicken wings?
Liddell’s job was to place orders with Gordon Food Services, a major supplier to the school district, prosecutors said, according to ABC News. She placed the orders and handled the bills, but kept the chicken wings between July 2020 and February 2022, prosecutors said.
Between August and November 2021, Liddell ordered more than 11,000 boxes of chicken wings from the food supplier and then picked up the orders in a county delivery truck, CBS News reported, citing prosecutors.
“The massive fraud began at the height of COVID, at a time when students were not allowed to be physically present at school,” according to an offer presented at Liddell’s 2023 bond hearing, according to WGN. “Even though children were learning remotely, the school district continued to provide meals for students to pick up for their families.”
The chicken theft was uncovered in 2023 when an audit found that the district’s food department had exceeded its annual budget by $300,000 in the middle of the school year, prosecutors said, according to ABC News.
The district’s business manager then found the receipts for the chicken wings, which was odd since it was a food item that was not served to students because it contained bones, the outlet reported, citing court documents.
USA TODAY contacted Gordon Food Services and the school district but did not receive a response.
Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on X. @GabeHauari or email him at [email protected].
