Ex-Harvey school official pleads guilty to stealing $1.5M worth of chicken wings from district

HARVEY, Ill. (WLS) -- The former food service director for a south suburban school district pleaded guilty to stealing $1.5 million worth of chicken wings over a 19-month period, court records show.

Vera Liddell, 66, who worked for Harvey School District 152 for more than 10 years, has been sentenced to nine years in prison.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Liddell was charged with theft and operating a criminal enterprise, ABC7 learned back in January 2023.

Liddell was responsible for placing orders with Gordon Food Services, a main supplier for the district, according to prosecutors. She placed orders for the chicken wings from July 2020 to February 2022, billing the district but keep the food, prosecutors said.

An audit last year discovered that the district's food service department had exceeded its annual budget by $300,000, with the school year only half over, prosecutors said. The business manager for the district uncovered the invoices for the chicken wings, according to court records.

That's an item that typically wouldn't be served to students because they contain bones, documents stated.

The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.