Indictment: Crundwell Defrauded $53M Since 1990; Has 311 Horses

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Indictment: Crundwell Defrauded $53M Since 1990; Has 311 Horses

SaukValley.com

Published 05/01/2012 - 3:30 p.m. CDT

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Crundwell's Florida property at 821 E. Fifth St. in Englewood, FL. (Courtesy Google/Google Street View)

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DIXON – The top financial officer for the city of Dixon defrauded the city out of $53 million, a grand jury indictment released this afternoon charges.

Rita A. Crundwell, 58, of Dixon, was arrested April 17 at Dixon City Hall on a single charge of federal wire fraud. She has since been released, but today prosecutors filed a grand jury indictment, making more details public for the first time.

Also today, the U.S. District Court released the federal government's application for a post-indictment restraining order on Crundwell's rural Dixon properties.

According to the application, Crundwell owns 311 horses – approximately 204 are located at the two Dixon, IL properties, 47 located in Beloit, WI and the remaining 60 spread around the country at various breeders and trainers.

Click here to see complete list of horses and locations

Click here to view the 9-page federal indictment

Click here to view the 6-page post indictment restraining order application

Click here to view the rest of the story from saukvalley.com

Rita Crundwell Arrested for Fraud; Free on $4,500 Bond

Feds Release Detailed Crundwell Search Warrants

24 comments for this article

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Added: May 08, 2012. 07:59 PM CDT

Cover up?

Long time city worker in a small town, Age 58, Mayor new her when she was a teenager and smart. Widely known and awarded in horse circles,AND NO INFO ABOUT FAMILY, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS, HISTORY, ETC. Normally, a story this big, reporters would be busting doors to get info--ever convicted of a crime?
Abused as a child? Struggling or priviledged family? My waitress in Dixon told a customer: she gave a friend of mine a $100 tip.
Customer reply: More going on here than we're being told?

Doc42

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Added: May 07, 2012. 10:38 AM CDT

RICH

Rita is not the only one in the horse show world who is/was embezzling. If you can't afford to show horses without stealing money then quit showing!! Some people need that ego fix. I sum it up to a low self esteem!! Remember the wheel makes a full turn.

lol

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Added: May 06, 2012. 01:48 PM CDT

Acronym

RSCDA: Rita's Secret City of Dixon Account

HowdyDo5

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Added: May 06, 2012. 12:34 PM CDT

ATTN: FEDS

WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE LET THE FEDS KNOW THAT ALL OF HER HORSES ARE NOT GREAT. I'M SURE SHE HAS A LOT THAT
AREN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO SHOW. THEY NEED TO STOP USING MORE TAXPAYERS DOLLARS TO KEEP THEM IN PEAK CONDITION. THEY WILL NEVER RECOUP THE MONEY THAT THEY ARE SPENDING. AND RITA, SHE'S JUST SITTING BACK SMILING, THINKING: "I'M STILL OUTSMARTING THE TAXPAPERS". I'M NOT SAYING, DON'T CARE FOR THE HORSES, AFTER ALL, THEY ARE INNOCENT, BUT KEEP THE EXPENSE TO A MIN. AND UNLOAD ASAP.

outside looking in

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Added: May 03, 2012. 02:14 PM CDT

horse world

The people in the horse world KNOW that you can't make money with horses, (UNLESS YOU ARE A TRAINER). We heard that she had inherited and invested wisely, and numberous other tidbits of crap.

outside looking in

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Added: May 03, 2012. 02:04 PM CDT

Not just pathetic

Absolutely STUPID when it comes right down to it. A person's thought process has to be VERY convoluted to think that doing something like this was in anyway okay and or justifiable to continue doing. And for what at the end of the day? It's not like she was giving all away to a charity. She fed her ego and her lifestyle with the ill begotten funds. It's sickening. I swear if I were one of the people she bamboozled into 'friendship' and I was standing in one of her win photos (or vice versa), I'd burn that picture or have it photoshopped immediately.

TTT

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Added: May 02, 2012. 09:47 PM CDT

Agree With Chip Numbers!

She wasn't as smart as she thought she was.
The whole situation is pathetic & sad.

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Added: May 02, 2012. 09:19 PM CDT

I knew of a woman that stole 2500 from her boss and her bond was 5,000. What's up with that? Stripping her horses of their titles will not solve anything. I do feel she should be stripped of her awards for top showman and top breeder though.

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Added: May 02, 2012. 12:23 PM CDT

Foal name

I wonder who will be the first to name one of the foals by her stud's "Embezzle"?!

TTT

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Added: May 02, 2012. 10:36 AM CDT

poor horses

I wonder if the government will understand the need for horse slaughter to improve conditions and prices for horses after they turn in their final bills on caring for this many...NOT that any of these horses should go to slaughter, but it will be an eye opening experience for a lot of government officials at the true cost of caring for horses and the devalued price of an average to good horse because of so many poor horses not being hauled off.

realist

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