Despite being convicted for stealing food meant for children during the COVID pandemic, Chris Jones, a defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, has offered to pay for the stolen chicken wings, amounting to $1.5 million, to facilitate the release of the woman responsible.

Vera Liddell, the former food service director for Harvey School District 152 near Chicago, is currently serving time in Cook County Jail for theft and running a criminal operation, as reported by WGN, ABC News, and CBS News. She was sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading guilty on August 9, according to prosecutors.

The 68-year-old Liddell engaged in theft of large quantities of meat intended for students receiving take-home meals during remote learning amidst the COVID-19 crisis, WGN reported, citing Cook County prosecutors.

In a post on social media on Tuesday, Jones stated, “I’ll pay for the wings that she stole to get her free.”

How Vera Liddell Stole the Chicken Wings

According to prosecutors, Liddell’s responsibilities included placing orders with Gordon Food Services, the school’s main supplier. Between July 2020 and February 2022, she placed orders and handled billing but diverted the chicken wings for personal use.

From August to November 2021, Liddell ordered over 11,000 cases of chicken wings from the food provider, which she picked up using a district vehicle, CBS News reported, citing prosecutors.

“The extensive fraud occurred during a period when students were not allowed to attend school in person,” stated a document presented at Liddell’s bond hearing in 2023, according to WGN. “Even with remote learning, the school district continued to provide meals which families could collect.”

The theft of the chicken wings was uncovered in 2023 when an audit revealed the food service department had overshot its annual budget by $300,000 halfway through the academic year, prosecutors commented, according to ABC News.

The district’s business manager later discovered invoices for the chicken wings, which raised suspicions as this type of food was not typically provided to students due to the presence of bones, as indicated in court records.

Attempts to reach out to Gordon Food Services and the school district for comments by YSL News have gone unanswered.