A Chicago cafeteria worker is facing a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted of orchestrating a $1.5 million theft of chicken wings. Vera Liddell, who was in charge of food services for Harvey School District 152, was found guilty of theft and running a criminal enterprise. She now faces a nine-year prison term.
The incident took place during the COVID-19 pandemic when most students were attending classes remotely. Liddell allegedly ordered over 11,000 cases of chicken wings between August and November 2021, using the school district’s cargo van to transport the items. However, the chicken wings never reached the students.
The scheme was uncovered during a routine mid-year audit by the district’s business manager, who discovered an unexplained $300,000 overspend in the food budget. Interim Superintendent Lela Bridges stated that Liddell had only recently joined the district when the thefts were exposed. CCTV footage showed Liddell frequently arriving at the food supplier’s store before it opened to collect the large orders.
Liddell is currently being held at Cook County Jail on a $150,000 bond. During court proceedings, prosecutors revealed that the fraud began at the height of the pandemic when schools were closed, but the district continued providing meals for students to pick up. Liddell reportedly signed off on invoices for large quantities of chicken wings, a food item never served to students because they contain bones.
Court documents indicate that workers at Gordon Food Service, the district’s food supplier, were familiar with Liddell due to her unusually large orders of chicken wings. While the fate of the stolen food remains unclear, the court described her actions as a “massive fraud.” Harvey School District 152, which includes five schools, serves approximately 1,600 students, more than 80% of whom come from low-income families.