Chicago authorities first became aware of Vera's crimes following a traffic stop:
Posted on 01/31/2023 6:25:51 AM PST by woodbutcher1963
Crime Former school official accused of embezzling $1.5 million worth of chicken wings
January 31, 2023 / 7:27 AM / CBS News
A former official in a school district in the Chicago suburb of Harvey is accused in a bizarre scheme involving more than $1 million worth of stolen chicken wings, CBS Chicago reports.
Vera Liddell is the former director of food services at Harvey School District 152.
The Cook County State's Attorney's office alleges that Liddell launched an embezzlement scheme that resulted in the theft of wings that cost more than $1.5 million in taxpayer money.
The alleged scheme began during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when schools were closed on state order and replaced by virtual learning. Despite the fact that children were learning remotely, the school district was still providing meals for pickup, according to the State's Attorney's office.
From July 2020 until February 2022, Liddell placed hundreds of unauthorized orders for food items – including 11,000 cases of chicken wings for which the district was billed more than $1.5 million – through school district vendor Gordon Food Service, prosecutors said.
The purchases were made separately from the legitimate orders made by the school district, prosecutors said.
Gordon Food Service believed all the purchases were authorized and billed the district for everything, prosecutors said. The district paid the full bills – including the ones for the unauthorized purchases.
But in January 2022, the district business manager conducted a routine mid-year audit and discovered the food service department was more than $300,000 over its annual budget with the school year only about half over, prosecutors said.
A closer review uncovered individual invoices signed by Liddell for absurd quantities of chicken wings, prosecutors said.
Surveillance video showed that Liddell showed up at Gordon Food Service to pick up the food orders and would leave with them in a district cargo van. But the food was never brought to the school or the students, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said it wasn't clear what she did with the chicken wings.
The school district doesn't even serve chicken wings to students because they contain bones, prosecutors said.
District 152 Interim Supt. Lela Bridges issued a statement late Monday saying, "The district cannot comment at this time because of an ongoing investigation. However, we are fully cooperating with the authorities regarding this matter."
I love things you don't have to think about!
“You’re a closet Bania fan!”
At her trial her defense will be that the chicken wings were merely “reparations” she was already owed.
Bania’s voice is the voice of a new generation! MY generation!
Forget that we’re 6 months apart!
“Gimmie the chicken wings!”
Crazy
That sounds in line with my sister’s experience.
Now that’s a funny line!
That’s gold, Jerry! GOLD!
Oops, funny WORD!
Chicago authorities first became aware of Vera's crimes following a traffic stop:
They've been conditioned from birth to lives of hustling, criminality, and violence, --both giving and receiving.
It's the white folks in the 'burbs who have never thrown or received a punch, stolen anything, or swindled someone who would be at a disadvantage. They'd have to acquire these skills quickly.
Oooooh, very nice!
I’m glad to see that they clipped her wings and the taxpayers won’t be getting plucked any longer.
He was quoted to have said “Yes, I robbed the kitchen because that’s where the wings are”
Girl like her chicken wings.
Girl like da money mo. 🙂
Dat she be indeed. 🙂
Prosecutors said it wasn’t clear what she did with the chicken wings.
Popeye’s chicken stores turn light out.
Stacey Abrams?
Loved that whole concert.
Brian Boitano!!
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