Someone Who Worked in the Cafeteria Stole $1.5 Million Worth of Chicken Wings From School and Got 9 Years in Prison for It
Someone who worked in a school cafeteria in Illinois stole chicken wings worth $1.5 million and is now going to jail.
WGN-TV, ABC, and CBS all reported that Vera Liddell, who used to be the head of the Harvey School District, pleaded guilty to the crime on August 9.
The news sources said she was charged with theft and running a criminal business. She was later given a nine-year prison term.
People asked the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for more information but did not hear back right away. At this point, it’s not clear if Liddell has a lawyer who can speak for her.
CBS reports that Liddell, 68, used to be the food service head for the Chicago school district, even though she had been bankrupt several times before.
According to ABC, prosecutors said Liddell ordered chicken wings from the district’s main food provider for almost two years, beginning in July 2020. She kept the food, even though she charged the district for it.
The outlet said that Liddell’s theft was found when the district’s food service department went over its yearly budget by $300,000.
CBS got court records that show the former school worker was charged with getting more than 11,000 cases of chicken wings.
WGN said the food was meant to be taken home by students who were learning from home during the COVID-19 outbreak for meals. The news source said Liddell had worked for the school district for over ten years.
According to WGN-TV, a prosecutor said during a bond hearing, “The massive fraud began at the height of COVID when students were not allowed to be physically present in school.” “Even though the children were learning remotely, the school district continued to provide meals for the students that their families could pick up.”