Former School Worker Sentenced to Nine Years for Embezzlement
Source: imageBROKER/Galina Didebashvili / Getty
Last February, we shared one of the oddest stories involving chicken wings. A school worker named Vera Liddell was accused of embezzlement after placing hundreds of unauthorized orders through Gordon Food Services, the school district’s vendor. Among these orders were 11,000 cases of chicken wings. Liddell carried out the scam during COVID, when students were attending school virtually. Gordon Food Services billed the district for each order, assuming they were legitimate. However, an audit by the district’s business manager revealed that the district was $300,000 over budget—and it was only halfway through the school year. As far as we knew, that was the end of the road for the chicken wing thief, until last week when it was announced that Liddell was sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty. The verdict sent a shockwave through the interwebs, with people calling the decision outrageous and a complete overreaction. Three hundred thousand dollars is, no doubt, a lot of money. And 11,000 cases of chicken wings could’ve fed lots of children during COVID-19, but nine years behind bars does seem excessive. The story has caught the attention of NFL star Chris Jones, who said he wanted to help Liddell, offering to pay for the wings she stole. It’s unclear whether Jones’ offer will affect her sentence. Her lawyers say they have 30 days from her sentencing to submit a motion to vacate her earlier plea and request a payment of restitution instead.
