She did not appear in court for Tuesday's hearing. We will never recover all that money," said Hugh-Gibson.ĭixon Mayor Jim Burke says the city of Dixon wanted to move forward with the state charges.Ĭrundwell is currently jailed in Boone County before she is assigned to federal prison. In 2011, the city commissioner praised Rita as someone who looks after every tax dollar as if it were. Whenever anyone had a question, they were advised to ask Rita. ROCKFORDThe former comptroller of the city of Dixon, Illinois, Rita A. In 2011, she was a big deal on the quarter horse circuit she had 52 world championships under her belt, and ran one of the best known quarter horse breeding operations in the country. As the comptroller and treasurer of the small town of Dixon, Illinois, she was well-versed in company finances. "I think justice was served as much as it will be. Rita Crundwell was the type of person that everyone trusted. Lifelong resident Joyce Hugh Gibson has been to nearly every court hearing in this case. Rita Crundwell, 68, is no longer in prison and is now one of more than 15,000 federal prisoners under the supervision of the Residential Reentry Management (RRM) field office in. Today's decision clears the way for Rita Crundwell to be transferred to a federal prison to begin serving her sentence. An American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) champion owner and exhibitor authorities say stole 53.7 million from an Illinois town has been released from prison early. "There was a lot of concern around this town that she might get off with some sort of five-year sentence." "If Rita were to get life in prison, that wouldn't be too severe or harsh as far as I'm concerned," said Dixon Mayor Jim Burke.īurke was among those who initially pushed for the state to pursue its own case, independent of the federal one. Many of those items, including her homes and horses, were auctioned off.ĭuring this time, the city's finances went from bad to worse. Rita Crundwell was sentenced last February to serve just under 20 years in prison for embezzling close to $54 million from Dixon starting in 1990.Ĭrundwell used money from Dixon taxpayers to fund her lavish lifestyle, which included a nationally-renowned horse-breeding program. It is believed to be the largest municipal fraud case in U.S. "The state charges won't bring any further penalties or any more restitution that has already been ordered by federal court," said Miller. Miller said continuing the case would be a waste of taxpayer dollars. "By disposing of this case it's going to start the healing process for the citizens of Dixon," said Anna Sacco Miller, Lee County State's Attorney. Residents of the city of Dixon say they are ready to put the entire Rita Crundwell saga behind them. Those charges were separate from the federal case in which she pleaded guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Crundwell faced 66 state charges, all of which were dismissed on Tuesday.
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