By Peter Kennedy
“But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.” – 1 Corinthians 5:11.
Rita Crundwell was the appointed comptroller and treasurer of Dixon, Illinois, from 1983 to 2012. She acquired a sterling reputation; for instance in 2011 one of the city commissioners praised Crundwell for her stewardship of city finances, saying: “she looks after every tax dollar as if it were her own.”
But a year later, the FBI arrested Rita for stealing $53 million of public funds across 20 years – making her the perpetrator of the largest case of municipal fraud in American history.
On December 8, 1990; Crundwell opened a secret bank account named RSCDA (Reserve Sewer Capital Development Account), making it appear to be a city account. She was the only signatory. She would have money deposited into another account called the Capital Development Fund, create false state invoices, and then write checks from the fund payable to “Treasurer,” which she would deposit into the RSCDA account. According to federal investigators, this relatively uncomplicated scheme continued for 22 years.
She used the funds to build one of the nation’s leading quarter horse breeding empires, all the while her greed forced city staff cuts, police budget slashing, and neglect of public infrastructure.
Christ has called us to love people not to love things. Today in prayer, examine your life and get rid of any greed.
“God wants to give us something, but cannot, because our hands are full–there’s nowhere for him to put it.” – Augustine.
God’s Word: “Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” – Luke 12:15.
