US Marshals Release Funds for Restitution in Crundwell Case
US Marshals Service Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Marshals Service transferred $9.2 million to the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois on Dec. 13. The funds will be applied to the restitution ordered by the court to be paid to the city of Dixon in the Rita Crundwell fraud case.
The funds represent net proceeds recovered from the federal seizure and forfeiture of Crundwell’s assets, which included bank accounts, five real properties, a luxury motorhome, more than 400 Quarter Horses, a jewelry collection and many other personal assets that were part of her lavish lifestyle. Total proceeds recovered were more than $12 million, and the Marshals incurred expenses of approximately $1.8 million to seize, manage, and sell the more than 500 assets that spanned 17 federal judicial districts in 13 different states.
The clerk of court will issue the restitution payment to the city of Dixon.
Crundwell, 60, was one of the leading breeders of Quarter Horses in the U.S. She pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge in 2012 and was sentenced in February to nearly 20 years in prison. She is serving her sentence at Federal Correctional Institution Waseca in Minnesota with a scheduled release date in 2030.
Final figures related to assets seized from Crundwell are as follows:
$12,216,447.05 – Total income
$ 1,169,115.80 – Total court-ordered claims
$ 1,832,682.34 – Total expenses
$ 9,214,648.91 – Net proceeds
More information on the Crundwell fraud case: http://www.justice.gov/usao/iln/pr/rockford/2013/pr0214_01.html
The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for managing and selling seized and forfeited properties acquired by federal criminals through illegal activities. Proceeds generated from asset sales are used to compensate victims, supplement funding for law enforcement initiatives and support community programs. As part of the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Program, the Marshals currently manage more than 23,000 assets with a value of $2.4 billion.
