Cafeteria Worker Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Stealing $1.5 Million Worth of Chicken Wings from School

Mar. 15, 2025

Vera Liddell.Photo:Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office

An Illinois cafeteria worker is heading to prison after stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings from a school district.

She was charged with theft and operating a criminal enterprise, the outlets reported, and has since been sentenced to nine years in prison.

PEOPLE reached out to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office for additional information, but did not immediately hear back. It is not immediately clear if Liddell has legal representation to comment on her behalf.

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Liddell, 68, previously served as the food service director for the Chicago school district, despite having multiple bankruptcies in her past, according to CBS.

Per ABC, prosecutors said Liddell placed orders for the chicken wings with the district’s main food supplier for nearly two years, starting in July 2020, though she would keep the food, despite charging the district.

The food was meant to be used for take-home meals for students who were learning remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic,WGNreported. Liddell had worked at the school district for more than a decade, the outlet said.

source: people.com