School director jailed for stealing £1.5m in chicken wings
Director stole £1.5m in chicken wings during pandemic, gets 9 years jail
A former food service director for an Illinois school district received a nine-year prison sentence after admitting to stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings intended for students during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.
Vera Liddell, 68, served Harvey School District 152 when she ordered wings from Gordon Food Services, the district’s supplier, between July 2020 and February 2022. She billed the district but kept the food herself, as per prosecutors.
Liddell ordered over 11,000 cases of chicken wings and picked them up using a district cargo van.
Although schools were closed due to the pandemic, the district continued to send meal kits to students engaged in remote learning.
In January 2023, Liddell faced charges of theft and operating a criminal enterprise.
The district’s business manager uncovered the scheme during a routine mid-year audit last year. The audit revealed invoices for the poultry, noting that chicken wings, which contain bones, are typically not served to students.
Prosecutors noted that the audit showed the food service department had already exceeded its annual budget by $300,000 halfway through the school year.
Liddell had been with Harvey School District 152 for over ten years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions asked about this news
Who was sentenced for stealing chicken wings from an Illinois school district?
Vera Liddell, a former food service director.
How much chicken wings did Vera Liddell steal?
She stole $1.5 million worth of wings.
When did Vera Liddell commit the theft?
From July 2020 to February 2022.
How was the chicken wing theft discovered?
The district’s business manager found the invoices during a routine audit.
Why were chicken wings not typically served to students?
Because they contain bones.
