How the Largest Municipal Fraud in U.S. History was Committed in Illinois

Wirepoints reports:

So, maybe you live in a city like Dixon, Illinois, population 16,000 where everyone knows everyone, people are polite, work hard, and they don’t ask their neighbors too many questions.



In 2012, the mayor, everyone else in the city and the national media discovered that Rita Crundwell, the city’s Treasurer and Controller had embezzled $53.7 million from the city over the past 20 years. How could the treasurer of an Illinois town with an annual budget of $6 million to $8 million steal over $50 million in two decades? Here is the toolkit for municipal fraud, as described by attorney Devon C. Bruce, who litigated the Dixon civil case and obtained the largest municipal settlement of its kind, $47 million.



How could this much money be stolen from a city?



Dixon’s mayor and five commissioners were part-time city employees, holding other full-time jobs in town. Dixon had three full-time city employees, including Crundwell whose salary was $80,000 a year. Dixon had no accountants on staff.



Local accounting firm CliftonLarsonAllen worked for the city of Dixon, preparing payroll, paying bills, creating ledgers and preparing the city’s financial statements. Clifton was Dixon’s outside auditor for two decades, collecting $1 million in billings from the town during that time.

Isn't it great to know that Barack Obama is from Illinois and levitated above corruption?