How big? In the neighborhood of $53 million, according to the indictment. Earlier reports had put it closer to $30 million and change. It further alleges that Rita Crundwell stated the scheme in December of 1990 and was "[creating] fictitious invoices purported to be from the State of the Illinois to show the auditors for the City of Dixon that the funds that defendant was fraudulently depositing into the [bank] account were being used for a legitimate purpose." When she was away, she had a relative pick up all the mail for the City of Dixon, thus allowing her to keep the account set up for her fraudulent deposits secret.
If she is convicted, Crundwell will have to forfeit a load of property, including:
• Single-family residences at 1679 U.S. Route 52 and 1403 Dutch Road, both in Dixon, and another in Englewood, Fla.• A horse ranch at 1556 Red Brick Road, Dixon• 80 acres of vacant land in Lee County• Numerous vehicles, including a 2009 Liberty Coach motor home, four Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks, and a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Roadster [And the Ford Thunderbird]• Multiple horse trailers• A 2000 20' Playbuoy Pontoon Pleasure Boat and a 1998 Cobalt deck boat• More than $220,000 seized from two bank accounts
Oh, and don't worry animal lovers. They're doing their best to figure out what to do with the horses.
Indictment of Rita A. Crundwell
