Sony Music Entertainment and Truth Media have released the third season of their podcast series, Crooked City. Hosted by Alexa Burke, this season, titled Crooked City: Dixon, IL, unravels the story of Rita Crundwell, Dixon’s former Treasurer who pulled off the largest municipal fraud in US history. The first episode is out now, and those who subscribe to The Binge can binge-listen to the entire season immediately.
Crundwell began as a high school intern at Dixon’s City Hall and worked her way up the ranks to become the Treasurer, a role she maintained for two decades. On the side, she was a well-respected figure in the Quarter Horse community, winning numerous championships. However, behind the scenes, she embezzled millions from Dixon’s residents to fund her luxurious lifestyle and horse breeding operation.
The eight-episode series explores how Crundwell managed to deceive an entire community for years, nearly bankrupting the town famous for being Ronald Reagan’s hometown. She was eventually arrested in 2012 by the FBI on over 60 theft charges. The series is not just about crime but digs deep into the emotional and psychological toll her actions took on those who trusted her.
The podcast is produced by a team including Alexa Burke, Kenny Kusiak, Elissa Mardiney, Kevin Shepherd, and Zach St. Louis, and edited by Marc Smerling.
