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Former Dixon Comptroller Rita Crundwell Sentenced

By: Robert Burke
Updated: February 15, 2013
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Dixon's former comptroller Rita Crundwell was sentenced today in Rockford Federal Court for stealing more than $53 million from the city.

Crundwell was sentenced to 19 1/2 years in federal prison.  With good conduct, she'll likely serve until she's 77 years old. 

Crundwell gave a brief, tearful apology saying, "I'm truly sorry to the City of Dixon, my family and my friends."

She's also ordered to pay a full restitution of 53.7 million.  The judge revoked Crundwell's bond and she was placed in handcuff and taken out of court.

Through FBI testimony, it was learned that Crundwell was inspired to start stealing money so that she could afford to buy a champion horse named Sheza Telusive Kid.

She admitted to embezzling the money by pleading guilty to wire fraud in November.  She still faces 60 separate state felony charges - for which she's pleaded not guilty -- for theft in Lee County.

Crundwell's public defender claimed that she'd cooperated with investigators and should receive a lenient prison sentence. 

Comments

WHO PAYS FOR ALL OF THIS? I AM SCRAPING THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL WORKING MORE THAN THREE JOBS. I WOULD NOT EVEN THINK OF STEALING ONE DOLLAR, LET ALONE 53.7 MILLION. I EARNED SIX COLLEGE DEGREES, TWO MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREES, AND I HAVE KEPT THE WOLF AWAY FROM THE DOOR. I HAVE ONE MORE DEGREE TO OBTAIN, AND THIS IS A DOCTORATE LEVEL FROM A SCHOOL IN CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS. YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF THIS SCHOOL BEFORE. THERE ARE TWO WELL KNOWN SCHOOLS THERE. I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO VISIT BOTH. I WANT AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION, "WHO PAYS FOR ALL OF THIS? I CAN ALWAYS WRITE BARACK O'BAMA. I HAVE WRITTEN MANY LETTERS TO WELL KNOWN POLITICIANS, AND I RECEIVE RESPONSE. I KNOW HOW TO READ AND WRITE. YOU WOULD HAVE TO TO BE ACCEPTED AT THE TWO SCHOOLS IN CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS. MY CONCERN RESTS WITH WHO EXACTLY IS PAYING FOR THIS? I WANT AN ANSWER. I AM ENTITLED TO AN ANSWER. I HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVING, AND I AM SCRAPING THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL. PLEASE MAKE CONTACT WITH ME. IN THE MEANTIME I WILL MAKE CONTACT WITH WASHINGTON, D.C., BARACK O'BAMA. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE REQUEST THROUGH THE STATELINE NEWS. I WILL FIND OUT WHO IS PAYING FOR ALL OF THIS. THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY NEEDY OF FOOD, HUNGER, MONEY, SUPPORT, AND ALL YOU DO IS HANDLE PEOPLE LIKE THIS. WHERE IS OUR THINKING AND THE DIGNITY GOING? WHERE IS THE HONESTY THAT WAS ONCE HERE? WHERE IS YOUR PRIDE AND CARING FOR PEOPLE THAT GAVE LIVES FOR THIS COUNTRY? WHY DO YOU NOT HAVE THE SAME FEELING AND UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU HAVE FOR THIS PERSON WHO COMMITTED AN UNLIMITED AMOUNT OF CRIMES. DO WE HAVE TO RETRAIN HER WAY OF THINKING? DO WE SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY TO CORRECT HER BAD INCONSIDERATE ATTITUDE? HOW WOULD YOU LIKE IT IF IT WAS TAKING SOMETHING DIRECTLY AWAY FROM YOU? I AM SICK AND TIRED OF SEEING THESE PEOPLE GET AWAY WITH THINGS, LIVING A WONDERFUL LIFE, AND REALLY NOT SERVING THE COMMUNITY. THIS REALLY STINKS. YOU GIVE THESE PEOPLE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD, THREE MEALS A DAY, AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO EAT THREE MEALS A DAY. I WORK LIKE A DOG WITH SIX COLLEGE DEGREES, AND I STILL WANT TO OBTAIN ONE MORE HONESTLY. YOU CANNOT TAKE CARE OF VIETNAM VETERANS OR OTHER VETERANS WHO FOUGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY AND GAVE OF THEMSELVES. SHAME ON YOU FOR HOUSING AND TAKING CARE OF CRIMINALS.

Robert J. February 14, 2013 at 12:36 pm

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