A former school administrator working at a school in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, has been charged with felony offenses for an embezzlement scheme that saw $1.5 million worth of chicken wings and other food items stolen over the span of two years. Vera Liddell, 66, formerly worked as the director of food services for Harvey School 152, a school district twenty-five miles outside of Chicago – and now she faces up to thirty years in prison if she is convicted.

The felony charges against Liddell for allegedly stealing millions of dollars worth of chicken wings and other food items include the felony offenses of Continuing Financial Crimes Enterprise and Class X felony theft, which are incurred when someone steals property worth more than $1,000,000. The felony charges carry a heavy prison sentence of up to thirty years and a maximum fine of $25,000 as well as restitution for the crimes she committed.

Liddell began work with the school district as a consultant in July 2020. According to her LinkedIn profile, Liddell has been an employee with the Harvey School District 152 since May 2011. From July 2020 to February 2022, she allegedly embezzled $1.5 million in “taxpayer funds” by stealing food items from the school where she worked.

“The massive fraud began at the height of COVID during a time when students were not allowed to be physically present in school,” reads a bond proffer for Liddell filed by Kimberly M. Foxx, the State’s Attorney for Cook County. “Even though the children were learning remotely, the school district continued to provide meals for the students that their families could pick up.”

The media has been trying to reach Liddell. TODAY.com reached out but did not hear back from the alleged embezzler. The defendant is being represented by the Cook County Public Defender’s office.

Barbara Mason, interim superintendent for Harvey School District 152, told TODAY.com, “The district cannot comment at this time because of an ongoing investigation. However, we are fully cooperating with the authorities regarding this matter.”

Liddell’s scam began in July 2020 when she began placing unauthorized food orders with the school district’s account. She ordered cases of chicken wings, making a deal with the district’s main chicken wing vendor Gordon Food Service, a distributor based in Wyoming, Michigan, which services much of the American Midwest.

“The defendant placed the unsanctioned purchases separately from the district’s legitimate orders,” reads the bond proffer. “Believing the defendant was authorized to make the purchases, Gordon Food Service would then bill the school district for the items. All of the unauthorized purchases were subsequently paid by the district.”

A business manager for the district discovered something was wrong in January 2022 when they conducted a routine audit. They found that the food service department was already $300,000 over budget, although they were only halfway through the school year.

“Defendant had been hired as a consultant after her tenure as Director of Food Services in 2021 to assist in the transition of the new director. The defendant continued to be the only person placing food orders for the district,” reads the filing. “As such, the defendant had contact with several Gordon Food Service employees via phone and in person multiple times per week. Interviews of these employees revealed they all were familiar with the defendant due to the massive amount of chicken wings she would purchase.”