Illinois comptroller who embezzled $53million of public funds to breed HORSES and buy Florida property is released from prison eight years early
Former Illinois Rita Crundwell, 68, was released eight years early from Pekin's Federal Correctional Institute on Aug. 4
The former comptroller of Dixon, Illinois, whose 19 1/2-year prison term for embezzling $53million in public funds was to be completed in 2029, has been released from a federal lockup leaving town officials angry.
Rita Crundwell, 68, was released on August 4 from the Federal Correctional Institute in Pekin, Illinois, according to a post from the Dixon Police Department on Facebook.
Crundwell pleaded guilty to wire fraud in 2012 after she admitted she stole the money and was then convicted in 2013 and sentenced to almost two decades in prison.
The stolen money, which she began to accumulate in 1990, was believed to be used to support her lavish lifestyle as well as her horse breeding business.
Crundwell pleaded guilty to wire fraud after she stole over $50million from the city of Dixon, Illinois
The town of about 15,000 people located 100 miles west of Chicago, issued a statement that Crundwell was to serve 85 percent of the sentence. Her original release date was set for October 20, 2029.
After her release, Dixon Mayor Liandro Arellano Jr. expressed anger at not being notified ahead of time.
'Outrageous is a great word, definitely shocking,' Arellano told ABC 7 Chicago. 'We know Illinois has a long history of corruption that we have been trying to fight all across the state -- to not even serve half the term was a bit of a slap in the face.'
DailyMail.com reached out to Arellano as to the reason for her release, but said they were not given a specific explanation why.
In April 2020, Crundwell petitioned a judge for early release due to the concern of the COVID-19 pandemic affecting her health, but was turned down by the city.
Crundwell wrote in her petition: 'I have done everything in my power to be a ''model inmate.'' To work as hard as I can and have never complained about my conditions here or the pay we receive. There is never a day that goes by, I do not regret my crime.'
The small town of Dixon, Illinois has a population of about 15,000 and is 100 miles west of Chicago
Dixon, Illinois, is located about 100 miles west of Chicago. Above, city's downtown
Only about 15,000 people live in the city of Dixon, Illinois
This was not the first instance of an Illinois official being sent to prison as former Governor Rod Blagojevich was also released early from his sentence as he only served eight years of his 14-year sentence.
He was convicted of corruption charges in 2011, which included allegations of selling or trading Barack Obama's senate seat.
Blagojevich was released in 2020 after being commuted by former President Donald Trump.
Other former Illinois governors including George Ryan, Dan Walker and Otto Kerner were also given prison sentences during, as well as after, their terms.
Crundwell's case is now being handled by the Chicago transition office for the Bureau of Prisons, according to their records.
One of Crundwell's purchases with a 2009 Kenworth T800 tractor-trailer worth over $146,000
A convertible Ford Thunderbird was also recovered from Crundwell
One of the astonishing purchases Crundwell made with public funds is a $2.1million 2009 Liberty Coach Motor Home
The city recovered $50million of Crundwell's stolen money, after they sold some of her belongings and used it as a recovery fund for upcoming Dixon projects.
Her lavish possessions which included Western-style furniture and accessories, horses, vehicles, jewelry, and her homes.
‘This is not the way a lot of people live around here,’ said Jason Wojdylo, a chief inspector with the Marshals Service's asset forfeiture division. ‘It was a lavish lifestyle ... while the city of Dixon was closing its pools because it couldn't afford to operate them, the defendant built a pool complete with sauna ... money was not spared.’
Crundwell's homes were opened to prospective buyers and the media for a tour by the U.S. Marshal Services
Crundwell owned four homes in Illinois as well as one in Florida
The city sold many of her lavish belongings which included furniture, accessories, vehicles, jewelry and her homes
A horse auction took place in September 2012 at Rita Crundwell's ranch in Dixon
About half of the money was used for attorney fees and to pay off Crundwell's debt and the attorney.
The other money that was raised was to be used for a riverfront project and town advancements such as fixing the roads and the downtown area.
City manager Danny Langloss told WQAD-8: 'The thing that I am proud of with this community is how resilient we are. We have dusted ourselves off, we picked ourselves back up, we went out and recovered nearly all the money and we have aggressive plans and projects to bring our streets up to where they need to be.'
Crundwell's Stolen Millions Shopping List featured a $2.1M motor home, $339K in jewelry and a $147K tractor
$2.1 million 2009 Liberty Coach Motor Home
$2.5 million paid off her American Express credit card
$339,000 on jewelry
$146,787 for a 2009 Kenworth T800 Tractor Truck
$140,000 for a 2009 Freightliner Truck $258,698 for a 2009 Featherlite Horse Trailer$3,558,000 stolen in the first three months of 2012 $30,236,503 stolen since July 2006