OAN Staff Abril Elfi
5:47 PM – Monday, August 12, 2024

An Illinois school worker has been sentenced to nine years in prison after she stole $1.5 million worth of chicken wings. 

Prosecutors stated that Vera Liddell stole 11,000 cases of chicken wings worth $1.5 million that were meant for students during the height of the COVID pandemic.

They stated that Liddell had used her position as the food service director at Harvey School District 152 to carry out the crime.

Reports stated that the 68-year-old started the scheme in July 2020 and didn’t stop until February 2022.

According to prosecutors, students never saw a single wing, even though she purchased an astounding quantity of chicken and transported the food in a school cargo van, as reported by WGN.

At the height of the pandemic, schools were closed, but the district near Chicago continued to send meal kits to students enrolled in remote learning.

In January 2023, Liddell was first accused of stealing and running a criminal business. 

After a routine audit that resulted in Liddell’s arrest, a school business manager discovered that food costs were $300,000 over budget even though there were still months remaining in the school year.

Liddell took a guilty plea in the case before receiving her nine year sentence. 

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