![]() That case is due back in court in Lee County on March 4. Remember Rita Documentary Digs Into Illinois’s Most Interesting Embezzlement By Bryan Smith Five years ago, I, like most Chicagoans and many around the country, found myself riveted by the story of Rita Crundwell, the former comptroller of tiny Dixon, Illinois, who bamboozled the town out of 53 million to fund a vast show horse empire. Burke said he was pleased to see Crundwell immediately taken into custody but said the sentencing was also emotional, "knowing her all these years and (to) think what a tragedy this whole thing is not only for the city but for her also." The mayor also questioned the sincerity of Crundwell's apology, saying, "I think her conscience didn't bother her at all." Crundwell still faces 60 state charges of felony theft, each of which carries a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison on conviction. Joseph Pedersen told reporters at the Rockford courthouse after the sentencing. … You can trust but you have to verify, and I think that's the lesson for other municipalities, governments," Assistant U.S. "There was trust that the city of Dixon placed in Rita Crundwell. So far, they have collected about $11 million from the sale of Crundwell's 400 horses, ranch, personal property, a luxury motor home and other vehicles, and expect about $10 million to ultimately be returned to Dixon coffers. marshals have been working to recoup some of the losses to repay the town, best known as the boyhood home of President Ronald Reagan. Previously, prosecutors said the thefts began in December 1990. Looking directly at Crundwell, the mayor said, "I hope you find purpose and meaning in your life."įor the first time, authorities hinted that Crundwell's thefts may have started even earlier than first thought, as far back as 1988. And Mayor James Burke read from a victim-impact statement, declaring that there was not a culture of corruption at the City Hall. Several Dixon city officials – including the police chief and a city commissioner – were called to the witness stand to detail how Crundwell's massive thefts crippled the city budget – though Crundwell led employees to think the economy and late state payments were to blame for the cash crunch. recognizing Crundwell's cooperation with authorities after her arrest last April. Crundwell's attorney, Paul Gaziano, asked the court to consider a lighter sentence. Prosecutors asked that Crundwell, 60, be sentenced to as much as 20 years in prison, citing the staggering losses the city sustained. Crundwell pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $54 million from the small northwest town over more than two decades to fund a lavish lifestyle while the town's budget was awash in red ink.
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