Former school worker Vera Liddell, 68, was sentenced to nine years in prison on August 9 for stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings, US media reported.
Liddell was hired as a consultant in July 2020, after serving as the district’s food service director. She was responsible for placing orders and used this authority to order unauthorized food items, primarily over 11,000 cases of chicken wings from Gordon Food Service, the district’s supplier.
These orders were separate from regular district orders, and the supplier billed the district, believing the purchases were legitimate.
The fraud was uncovered in January 2022 during a midyear audit when the district’s business manager noticed that the food service department had exceeded its annual budget by $300,000. Further investigation revealed that Liddell had signed invoices for large quantities of chicken wings, an item never served to students due to its bone content.
Surveillance footage showed Liddell using district cargo vans to pick up the wings, which were never delivered to the school.
Liddell’s guilty plea was part of a deal with prosecutors, and she expressed remorse for her actions. Her attorneys mentioned that she had a gambling problem and could not pay restitution.
She is serving her sentence at Cook County Jail in Illinois.
Help from a Chief
In a surprising turn, Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones offered to pay $1.5 million to cover the cost of the stolen wings in an effort to secure Liddell’s release. However, neither Jones nor his representatives have made formal contact with Liddell’s legal team or the school district.