A ranch owned by former Dixon city comptroller Rita Crundwell was seized by federal authorities after she was charged with embezzling more than $53 million from the town. The ranch is now up for sale to help reimburse the city. (Credit: U.S. Marshals Service)
Reporting Marissa Bailey
CHICAGO (CBS) – Three pieces of property owned by former Dixon city comptroller Rita Crundwell have gone up for sale, as federal authorities continue auctioning off her possessions to pay back some of the $53 million she embezzled from the town.
CBS 2 found listings for the three properties on the U.S. Marshals Service website, including the expansive horse ranch she ran on Red Brick Road in Dixon, a family home at 1403 Dutch Road in Dixon, and 81 acres of farmland off Nachusa Road in Lee County.
Crundwell’s vacation home in Englewood, Fla., and her personal residence on State Route 52 in Dixon still have not been listed.
The Dutch Road location has a starting price of $450,000. The ranch has a starting price of $700,000, and the farmland has a starting price of $540,000.
According to the Marshals’ website, offers must be at least 5 percent higher than the initial unsolicited offers. In addition to submitting a $25,000 deposit (refundable on rejected offers) the proposals must be submitted in writing, and received by Dec. 21.
Click here to see the property posts on the United States Marshals website.
Crundwell has pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of wire fraud, under a 26-page plea deal with federal prosecutors.
Under the plea deal, she admitted embezzling $53,740,394 from Dixon since 1990, and using the money to fund a lavish lifestyle, including a world champion horse breeding business.
She also faces 60 separate counts on state charges in Lee County. She has pleaded not guilty to the state charges.
