‘Travesty of justice’: Reaction pours in after Biden commutes Rita Crundwell's sentence
DIXON, Ill. - President Joe Biden announced the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history on Thursday.
He is commuting the sentences of approximately 1,500 Americans and granting pardons to 39 individuals convicted of nonviolent crimes.
One notable name on the list is former Dixon Comptroller Rita Crundwell, who was convicted more than a decade ago in the largest municipal embezzlement case in U.S. history.
"It’s ridiculous, it’s a travesty of justice, but it’s not going to change anything we do day in and day out to make Dixon great," said current Dixon City Manager Danny Langloss, who was the police chief when Crundwell was arrested. "And if I see Rita Crundwell, I’ll just turn and walk the other way. She doesn’t deserve our time or acknowledgment."
Crundwell served time in federal prison before being moved to house arrest during the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, she has been granted her freedom.
The now 71-year-old admitted to embezzling nearly $54 million from the city of Dixon during her tenure as comptroller, using the stolen funds to finance a horse breeding business and a lavish lifestyle.
Her home showcased extravagant decor, including custom-made tables and flooring. The stolen millions also allowed her to become one of the top horse breeders in the country.
"She was one of the most trusted people in Dixon. As it turns out, she’s a criminal, she’s a sociopath, and it was all about greed," said Langloss, who added that her crime occurred during a time when Dixon was severely in debt. "There were, you know, holes in the floors of public works vehicles, there were squad cars not being purchased, people taking pay freezes – all kinds of different things happening. And here she is living this life of luxury, eating at the steakhouse every night, and ordering what we found out later to be extra steaks to take home so her dogs could eat. That’s Rita Crundwell."
Originally sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison, she was released to home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 and has since reportedly been living on a farm near Dixon with her family.
"It was bad enough that she was put under home arrest. I mean, that shocked the conscience and created outrage. But clemency? With this much time left in her sentence? Now, I go into the bookstore and get a cup of coffee, and she can be standing right next to me or any other member of our community. It’s just not right. I think the federal government needs to take a really good look in the mirror," said Langloss.
Crundwell’s sentence was supposed to run through Oct. 20, 2028.
This is not a pardon, only a commutation, so the conviction stays on her record.