Midwest
Illinois community outraged after Biden commutes sentence of fraudster behind $53M embezzlement scandal
President Biden added the woman behind the largest municipal embezzlement scandal in U.S. history to his list of clemency controversies, outraging a small Illinois community in the process.
The former Dixon, Illinois comptroller Rita Crundwell, 71, who stole nearly $54 million from the town over 22 years and pled guilty to the crime in 2012, had her sentence commuted as a part of a broader commutation last Thursday, making her one of 1,500 – the most ever granted by a president in a single day.
Local officials – and some state lawmakers – aren’t happy to see her getting off “scot-free.”
BIDEN COMMUTES SENTENCE OF OFFICIAL WHO STOLE $53M FROM SMALL ILLINOIS TOWN, SPARKING OUTRAGE
President Joe Biden speaks about an executive order in the East Room at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, June 4, 2024.
“Rita’s crime absolutely shocks the conscience…. at her sentencing on February 14th, 2013, [the judge] said that a significant prison sentence was essential to reestablish public trust and confidence, so what we’ve seen here over the last week is just unbelievable and really a complete betrayal by the federal criminal justice system,” Dixon city manager Danny Langloss told “Fox & Friends First” on Tuesday.
Langloss, who was the police chief at the time of Crundwell’s arrest, went on to say the rural Illinois community is “shocked,” “outraged,” and in “disbelief” over the news, calling her commutation “a complete disservice to all the victims of her crime” and to the “sanctity and the trust of the criminal justice system.”
Biden’s blanket move also commuted the prison sentence for a corrupt judge involved in the “cash-for-kids” scheme, who imposed sentences on juveniles in exchange for millions of dollars in return.
“This is lazy governance, and it’s really abuse of authority and power,” Langloss continued on Tuesday.
PENNSYLVANIA MOTHER INFURIATED AFTER BIDEN COMMUTES SENTENCE FOR ‘KIDS-FOR-CASH’ JUDGE: ‘RUINED MY SON’S LIFE’
Rita Crundwell, former comptroller for the City of Dixon, Ill., turns away as her attorney briefly speaks with the media after Crundwell plead guilty in federal court in Rockford, Ill., on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune/MCT)
“We’re outraged that Rita’s been released, but all the work I’ve done as a police officer around protecting children, alternatives to detention, the impact of detention on children, to have this judge walk free, to have a day taken off his sentence while they just really got this so wrong.”
A White House statement issued last week said the 1,500 commutations extend to people who were placed on “home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and who have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities.”
“These actions build on the President’s record of criminal justice reform to help reunite families, strengthen communities, and reintegrate individuals back into society. The President has issued more sentence commutations at this point in his presidency than any of his recent predecessors at the same point in their first terms,” the statement continued in part.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, speaking on the commutation last week, suggested the move focuses on the importance of “second chances.”
BIDEN’S FULL LIST OF CLEMENCY AND COMMUTATION RECIPIENTS REVEALED
Illinois Republican Rep. Darren LaHood also criticized the “sweeping” commutation in a statement.
“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,” he said. “Commuting her 20-year sentence is a slap in the face to all the hardworking police officers, firefighters, city workers, and residents of Dixon.”
Democratic Rep. Eric Sorensen was also critical.
“She pleaded guilty, got the max sentence, but then only served eight years,” he said in a Facebook post.
“Getting off scot-free today is such a load of BS.”
Biden has faced a steady stream of criticism in recent weeks over the pardon for his son, Hunter, and other prison commutations, including for a corrupt Pennsylvania judge convicted of accepting kickbacks in exchange for sentencing minors to juvenile detention.
Fox News’ Bailee Hill contributed to this report.
Read the full article from Here
ROCHESTER, Minn. (FOX 9) – A man from Illinois is facing felony charges after police say he took part in a scheme that convinced a Rochester resident to hand over thousands of dollars in cash and nearly fell for a gold bar handoff.
Rochester phone scam
What we know:
According to a criminal complaint filed in Olmsted County District Court, police say the victim was contacted by phone and told he was under investigation for a crime. The caller convinced him to deliver $30,000 in cash to a man he met in person on June 17, 2026.
The victim was then pressured to arrange a second delivery — this time, 10 one-ounce gold bars — on June 23, 2026. Detectives worked with the victim to set up a controlled delivery using fake gold bars and a GPS tracker.
Charges state that the plan was for the victim to meet whoever arrived to pick up the package, while officers watched nearby. Surveillance officers saw a white SUV with Illinois plates circling the parking lot at 2711 Commerce Drive NW in Rochester.
The complaint states a man, later identified as Kiranbhai Kanubhai Vasava, got out, met the victim, gave the password and took the package. Officers followed the car as it left the scene. Detectives stop suspects and recover cash
Why you should care:
Police stopped the SUV near Eyota and searched it, finding $50,000 in cash, several cell phones, bank checks with Vasava’s name, and packaging materials similar to those used for the fake gold bars. The package with the GPS tracker and fake gold was missing, but officers later found the GPS device torn apart on the side of the highway.
The second man in the car, Hemendrasinh Pravinsinh Dabhi, told police he got a call from India about a package but claimed he knew nothing about it, saying, “he just drives.” Vasava also denied knowing what was happening.
Kiranbhai Vasava linked to Wisconsin case
The backstory:
The complaint states detectives linked Vasava to another similar case in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, where a bank customer was convinced to hand over $50,000 in cash to a driver in a white Honda SUV. Video from that incident showed Vasava receiving the package.
Police say this type of swindle involves convincing victims they are under investigation and must pay money or hand over valuables to clear their name. Detectives say the investigation involved coordination between local police and law enforcement in Wisconsin.
The Source: Criminal charges filed in Olmsted County Court.
KOSCIUSKO COUNTY, Ind. (WSBT) — It’s fair season and a new law uncorks adult beverage sales!
The new Indiana law will go into effect July 1st, making it legal to sell alcohol at county fairs.
The Kosciusko County Fair is set to kick off in just a few weeks and Indiana is officially allowing alcohol to be sold.
The law is bringing back something that’s not necessarily new to this fair.
Here’s what you need to know
The new law will go into effect on July 1st. It officially allows county fairs to apply for fee-free permits to sell alcohol.
Officials with the Kosciusko County Fair say they are participating this year. They are implementing the same guidelines they used when they sold alcohol just at grandstand events.
The difference now is, you can walk around the grounds with your drink. But strict guidelines will be in place for purchasing a drink.
“Actually, we’ve never had any issues. Because we card everybody, so we take that seriously. We also got the ID guides so we can identify the different types of IDs,” said Sheal Dirck, Treasurer of Kosciusko County Fair.
The Kosciusko County Fair already have guidelines in place, so this was an easy transition for the fair.
They will be the only vendors selling alcohol, which will make it easier to control distribution.
The sales will also bring in more revenue.
“Hopefully it allows to keep our ticket prices where they are because right now, insurance, utilities and everything else is going sky high and it’s hard to make ends meet,” said Dirck.
However, some fairs cannot participate because of the July 1st start date, like the Pulaski County Fair, which is going on right now. Pulaski County officials said it is on the agenda for next year. Whereas other fairs are choosing to sit this year out.
“We wanted not spend some time to, to see what that really means for us. It was not a decision we wanted to rush into. But we are happy for the option of it,” said Shelly Steury, GM of Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds.
Leaders at the St. Joseph County and Elkhart County Fairs said neither of them are selling alcohol.
The Kosciusko County Fair is the only fair that will sell alcohol in our area this year.
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) -Water and wastewater utility rates in Iowa City will increase starting July 1, following a city council decision on May 19.
The water utility rate will increase by 3%, while the wastewater rate will increase by 5%.
The increases are part of a funding model to help recover the costs of providing water and wastewater services to Iowa City residents.
The new rates will take effect in tandem with Iowa City’s 2027 fiscal year and apply to customers served by the Iowa City Water Division and the Iowa City Wastewater Division.
The city said the rate adjustment supports its continued provision of safe and reliable water service.
To learn more about the city’s utilities, visit their website.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
-
Illinois1 minute agoIllinois man charged after Rochester sting catches phone scammer with $50K in cash
-
Indiana4 minutes agoNew law allows alcohol at participating county fairs in Indiana
-
Iowa9 minutes agoIowa City residents face higher water bills in July
-
Kansas16 minutes agoEthanol tanker overturns, leaks in El Dorado
-
Kentucky19 minutes agoTakeaways from Kentucky’s home and away SEC schedule for next season
-
Louisiana24 minutes agoJeff Landry signs executive order on protecting ratepayers, but defends Louisiana data centers
-
Maine31 minutes agoPerson hospitalized after shed fire in Harpswell
-
Maryland34 minutes agoNavy ship USS Marinette arrives in Maryland for Sail250:
