Reps. Sorensen, LaHood agree Biden was wrong to grant clemency in $54M Dixon fraud scheme
(25News Now and WIFR) - Lawmakers from across the aisle are expressing outrage that the Dixon city official convicted of the largest municipal embezzlement in U.S. history has received clemency from President Joe Biden.
Former Dixon comptroller Rita Crundwell pleaded guilty in 2012 to stealing almost $54 million from city taxpayers over 22 years and used her fraud scheme to support her quarter-horse farming business and a life of luxury.
Thursday, the 71-year-old Crundwell received one of almost 1,500 commutations, the most ever granted by a president in a single day. All have been serving their sentences at home for at least year under the COVID-era CARES Act, according to a White House statement.
“She pleaded guilty, got the max sentence, but then only served eight years,” U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen (D-Moline) said in a Facebook post. “Getting off scot free today is such a load of BS.”

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood released a statement saying Biden’s decision to issue “sweeping” commutations was reckless and showed his disregard for the justice system and the rule of law.
“While many families in Dixon were living paycheck to paycheck, she took advantage of their trust in government and used her access to live an unearned life of luxury, in what the FBI still believes to be the largest theft of public funds in U.S. history,” said LaHood. “Commuting her 20-year sentence is a slap in the face to all the hardworking police officers, firefighters, city workers, and residents of Dixon.”

Former Dixon Mayor Li Arellano, who led the city of about 14,000 after the embezzlements came to light, was also highly critical of granting clemency to Crundwell.
“Crundwell had already been given early release to house arrest. Granting her full freedom, well before her sentence is fully served, is another slap in the face of those who fight for government reform and accountability--and to the taxpayers and citizens who have been rebuilding our community,” Arellano said in a Facebook post.
Arellano was elected in November as State Senator in the 37th District, which includes parts of Peoria, Woodford, Marshall, Stark and Bureau Counties.
Crundwell was initially sentenced in February 2013 to 19 years and seven months in federal prison with a requirement that she serve 85% of her sentence. Crundwell petitioned a federal judge for her early release in April 2020 because of her “deteriorating health” and COVID. She withdrew that petition but was released from the federal prison in Pekin in August 2021 after serving less than half of her sentence.
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