Last week we learned that the CFO/comptroller/treasurer for the city of Dixon, Illinois, Rita Crundwell, was arrested for allegedly stealing $30,236,503 and 51¢. She also stands accused, in the court of public opinion, of having awful taste in automobiles, as federal agents seized a Ford Thunderbird upon her arrest.
Regardless, these allegations came as a surprise to the sleepy Illinois town because usually everyone knows everyone's business in a small town (legal, illegal, and otherwise) and you'd think that a town on a budget of approximately $8 million would, ya know, miss that money. Anyhoo, after Ms. Crundwell's arrest, she was put on administrative leave without pay, but it didn't take long for inevitable to happen:
Crundwell […] submitted a letter of resignation over the weekend citing a federal court order that she not hold a position involving fiduciary responsibility, according to Ron Coplan, an attorney for the city.
Seems like the natural order of things, really. However, the City Commissioners for Dixon decided that such weighty charges demanded additional action:
Commissioners still voted to terminate Crundwell for falsifying city records, misconduct, criminal conduct and misappropriation of city funds.
The kill shot, in a manner of speaking.
If you’re given the task of running down assets that are left over from a Ponzi scheme, you’d think somone would throw in a little something for the effort. That stolen money is going to find itself after all.