The former Illinois school employee who made headlines in 2023 after being accused of stealing an estimated $1.5 million in chicken wings has pleaded guilty, per local reports.
Over the weekend, regional outlet WGN-TV, citing the Cook County State’s Attorney, reported that Vera Liddell had been given nine years behind bars after pleading guilty and admitting to the theft in question. Liddell, who previously worked as the director of food service for Harvey School District 152, had been accused of ordering over 11,000 cases of chicken wings intended for remote-learning students starting in mid-2020 and lasting through at least early 2022. While other food items are said to have been stolen as part of the operation, prosecutors said the majority of the years-spanning haul was chicken wings.
"The massive fraud began at the height of COVID during a time when students were not allowed to be physically present in school," previously excerpted court docs said of the intended use of the stolen food. "Even though the children were learning remotely, the school district continued to provide meals for the students that their families could pick up."
Later, an audit resulted in school officials finding out about the scheme. Per a separate report from a regional CBS affiliate, the initial resulting charges against the 68-year-old included theft and operating a criminal enterprise.
Online jail records show Liddell was booked on Aug. 9. When reached for comment, a rep for the Cook County State’s Attorney's Office confirmed to Complex that Liddell had pleaded guilty to one count of theft and been sentenced to nine years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.