Rita Crundwell, financial officer who allegedly stole millions of dollars from Illinois city, to be arraigned

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Rita Crundwell at the American Quarter Horse Association World Championship Show in Oklahoma City, Okla., Nov. 2011.

/ AP/American Quarter Horse Journal

(CBS/AP) ROCKFORD, Ill. - Rita Crundwell, the former financial officer for the northern Illinois city of Dixon, is slated to appear in court to face charges that accuse her of stealing tens of millions of dollars from the community.

Pictures: Official stole millions to buy horses, say Ill. cops

Crundwell is expected to enter a plea at her arraignment Monday.

A federal grand jury last month returned an indictment charging Crundwell with wire fraud for allegedly siphoning more than $53 million from Dixon since 1990 into a secret account.

Prosecutors contend that she used the money to fund one of the nation's leading horse breeding operations. They also claim she used the case to feed a lavish lifestyle that kept her outfitted with cars and hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of jewelry.

Her attorney, Paul Gaziano, has refused to comment on the case, citing rules of the federal defender program.

More on Crimesider:
April 19, 2012 - Rita Crundwell, Dixon Ill. comptroller, stole $30M from city, authorities say