Former Illinois Official Convicted of Embezzling Over $50 million In Public Funds Among Those Benefited By Biden's Commutations

Controversies have begun to emerge from President Joe Biden's decision to conduct the largest single-day act of clemency in modern history. Among those benefited by it are people who were widely condemned for their crimes, including Rita Crundwell, a former public official convicted of embezzling over $50 million from a city in Illinois.

Crundwell was the comptroller of Dixon, Illinois, and was sentenced in 2013 of embezzling $53 million in actions that went as far back as 1990. She pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 19 years in prison.

Crundwell was due to serve 85% of her sentence, meaning that she was set to remain behind bars until October 2029. However, she was released in August 2021 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic along with several thousands of prisoners as the disease was rapidly spreading in facilities across the country.

"America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances. As President, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities," Biden said in a statement when announcing the clemency.

Overall, he commuted the sentences of 1,500 people released from prison and placed under home confinement during the Covid-19 pandemic and pardoned 39 more who had been convicted of nonviolent crimes.

Crundwell was in the former group, staying in home confinement since 2021. According to her plea deal, she opened in 1990 a bank account under the name of Dixon but used her for personal expenses, including a horse breeding business, credit card purchases and several properties. She also created fake invoices to make it seem like the funds were being used for legitimate expenses and justified shortfalls saying the state was late in payment of tax revenues to the city.

Then-Dixon Mayor Jim Burke reported Crundwell to authorities after an employee took over her duties while she was on extended vacation and found evidence of her crimes. Current Dixon City Manager Danny Langlossa criticized Biden's decision in a statement obtained by CBS News.

"The City of Dixon is shocked and outraged with the announcement that President Biden has given Rita Crundwell clemency for the largest municipal embezzlement in the history of our country. This is a complete travesty of justice and a slap in the face for our entire community," he said.

"While today's news in unimaginable, the City of Dixon is in an incredible place today. We will continue to focus on the future and work to capitalize on the momentum we have created."