This is a story about a woman who came to be known as The Horse Queen. She owned hundreds of champion quarter horses on her ranch outside the small city of Dixon, Illinois. And she was also Dixon’s treasurer/comptroller. Yet no one ever thought to ask how she could afford all of those horses on the salary of a civil servant… until the FBI raided City Hall in ... Show More
Oct 2023
Dixon, IL | 1. Honesty, Integrity, and Hard Work
It’s 1950 and the neighborly people of Dixon gather in their historic theater to watch a movie starring their hometown hero: Ronald Reagan. But this podcast is not about Ronald Reagan… It’s about the largest municipal fraud in US history. Unlock all episodes of Crooked City: Dixo ... Show More
29m 40s
Oct 2023
Dixon, IL | 1. Honesty, Integrity, and Hard Work
It’s 1950 and the neighborly people of Dixon gather in their historic theater to watch a movie starring their hometown hero: Ronald Reagan. But this podcast is not about Ronald Reagan… It’s about the largest municipal fraud in US history.
Unlock all episodes of Crooked City: Dix ... Show More
31m 40s
Oct 2023
Dixon, IL | 2. Her Horses Were Her Life
Who is Rita Crundwell? Alexa journeys to Dixon to find out. Unlock all episodes of Crooked City: Dixon, IL, ad-free, right now by subscribing to The Binge. Plus, get binge access to brand new stories dropping on the first of every month — that’s all episodes, all at once, all ad- ... Show More
36m 33s
Apr 2025
Greedy Woman Steals $53,000,000 From Her City - The Rita Crundwell story
<p>The Rita Crundwell story is one of the largest municipal fraud cases in U.S. history. As the longtime comptroller of Dixon, Illinois, Crundwell embezzled over $53 million from the small town over two decades, using the funds to finance a lavish lifestyle that included luxury c ... Show More
8m 21s
Jul 2022
Champagne for My Horses
<p>Rita Crundwell seemed like a simple woman. As a kid, she liked 4H, horses, and country living. She grew up to work in City Hall in her small hometown of Dixon, Illinois. For decades, though, this all-American product of the heartland had a secret. She was cooking the town's bo ... Show More
55m 9s
Dec 2024
Ridiculous Update: Rita Crundwell and Her Little Ponies
We look back at the woman who embezzled $53 million dollars from her small hometown in the American heartland, all so that she could pay for her pony obsession. Now she wasn't hitting the track, no, Rita Crundwell lusted to become a celebrity in the world of horse breeders and tr ... Show More
1 h
Dec 2024
The Human Trafficking Illegal Casino Kingpin Who May Have Been a Chinese Spy
Alice Guo was a Philippine success story, a homeschooled farmhand who rose to become a millionaire business leader. But when Guo ran for mayor of the small town of Bamban in 2022, eyebrows were raised. Sure, she was rich: but how did Guo own a helicopter, $200,000 jewelry and a M ... Show More
48m 27s
Feb 2025
Welcome to Crook County (Official Trailer)
Welcome to Crook County, a den of thieves, where a celebrated firefighter, husband and loving father led a secret double life as a hitman for the legendary organized crime syndicate, the Chicago Outfit. A secret that shattered his family. From Tenderfoot TV and iHeart Podcasts, C ... Show More
2m 28s
Oct 2023
Introducing Gone South Season 3: The Sign Cutter
A rancher in Laredo, Texas discovers a woman’s body shot execution-style on the side of the road. When authorities identify her as a local sex worker, their investigation takes them into the darkest corners of the city, triggering a manhunt for a serial killer.
2m 23s