Vera Liddell, a former food service director for the Harvey School District in Illinois, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings. Over nearly two years starting in July 2020, Liddell fraudulently ordered large quantities of chicken wings from the district’s supplier, while billing the district and keeping the food for herself. Her theft was uncovered when the district’s food service budget unexpectedly exceeded its limit by $300,000. The stolen food was intended for remote students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Liddell, 68, had a history of financial troubles and worked for the district for over a decade.
