A school worker has confessed to stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings and other food during the pandemic, leading to a prison sentence.
In January 2023, Vera Lidell, 67, was arrested by authorities in Cook County, Illinois. She began her role as the Director of Food Services for Harvey School District 152 in July 2020.
From her start date until February 2022, Liddell placed hundreds of unauthorized orders for food items, which included 11,000 cases of chicken wings. These orders were made independently from the district’s necessary purchases.
“The massive fraud began at the height of COVID-19 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 families to pick up,” prosecutors stated at the time.
District officials paid for the unauthorized orders, and Liddell utilized a district cargo van to collect and transport the stolen food. However, the food was never delivered to the school or made available to students.
The fraud came to light when an investigation revealed that the food service department had exceeded its budget by $300,000 halfway through the fiscal year.
Last week, Liddell pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nine years in prison, according to WGN.