Chiefs' Chris Jones offers to cover $1.5M in stolen chicken wings to free Cook County woman

CHICAGO - Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones has offered to pay for more than $1.5 million worth of chicken wings stolen by a south suburban school worker in an effort to secure her release from prison.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Jones said he would cover the cost of the stolen chicken wings to free Vera Lidell, 68, who was sentenced to nine years in prison on Friday for the theft.

"I'll pay for the wings that she stole to get her free," Jones said in the post.

Lidell, of Dolton, pleaded guilty to stealing more than $1.5 million of food, primarily chicken wings, from a south suburban school district.

At the time of the incident, she was working as the Director of Food Services for Harvey School District 152.

RELATED: Cook County woman gets 9 years in prison for stealing $1.5M in chicken wings from school district

Between July 2020 and February 2022, Lidell placed hundreds of unauthorized food orders, including 11,000 cases of chicken wings, through the school's main supplier. These orders were made separately from the district’s legitimate orders, prosecutors said.

"The massive fraud began at the height of COVID during a time when students were not allowed to be physically present in school. Even though the children were learning remotely, the school district continued to provide meals for the students that their families could pick up," prosecutors said.

The scheme was uncovered during a routine mid-year audit in January 2022, which revealed that the district’s food service department had exceeded its annual budget by over $300,000, despite being only halfway through the school year.

Even if Jones covers the cost of the stolen wings, Lidell has already been convicted.

In January 2023, Lidell was also charged with felony theft, continuing a financial crime enterprise, and forgery.