School worker jailed after $1.5m chicken wing heist that lasted a year

A school worker has been jailed for 9 years after stealing van-loads of chicken wings in a heist operation that started in July 2020.

Vera Liddell of Illinois was charged with theft and operating a criminal enterprise after stealing over $1.5 million worth of chicken wings from the school she worked at.

On Friday August 9 2024, the former Harvey School District director pleaded guilty to the crime and was sentenced to nine years in prison.

Liddell, 68, was the food service director for the Chicago school district, and according to CBS, she had multiple bankruptcies in her past.

Prosecutors said that Vera placed orders for chicken wings with the district’s main food suppliers, and then took cratefuls of wings home, without anyone noticing.

Surveillance video obtained by the Attorney’s Office allegedly showed that Liddell arrived at Gordon Food Service to pick up the orders and would leave with them in a district cargo van. The food, however, was never brought to the school or the students, prosecutors said.

She carried out this criminal enterprise over two years starting in July 2020, and was only caught when her superiors carried out an audit of food ordered because they had gone $3000,000 over budget by mid-year.

Court records obtained by CBS state that the former worker was accused of stealing more than 11,000 cases of chicken wings during the time period.

The food was meant to be for students who were studying from home during the pandemic, WGN reported.

“The massive fraud began at the height of COVID during a time when students were not allowed to be physically present in school,” said a prosecutor during a bond hearing, per WGN-TV.

“Even though the children were learning remotely, the school district continued to provide meals for the students that their families could pick up.”

Liddell had worked at the school district for more than a decade, WGN also reported.

The scheme was discovered in February 2022 and Lidell was charged in January 2023. The chicken thief pleaded guilty and was sentenced to serve 9 years in prison on Friday August 9, 2024.

That isn’t the only crazy food story, in fact, taking this Trader Joe’s item through the airport could get you arrested.