meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Crimes of the Centuries

S5 Ep39: All the Queen's Money: The Fall of Rita Crundwell

Crimes of the Centuries

Amber Hunt and Audioboom

History, Documentary, Society & Culture, True Crime

4.74K Ratings

🗓️ 22 December 2025

⏱️ 54 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

For two decades, the small Illinois town of Dixon couldn't afford new trucks, fresh asphalt, or summer pools. Meanwhile, their trusted treasurer lived like royalty—breeding champion horses, dripping in diamonds, and cruising the country in a $2 million RV. When the truth came out, it was the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history.

"Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history. You can get early and ad-free episodes and more over at www.grabbagcollab.com

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK! Order today at www.centuriespod.com/book (https://www.centuriespod.com/book)!

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod

Episode Sponsors:

Quince. Give a gift they’ll actually use and love. Go to https://quince.com/CENTURIES for free shipping and 365-day returns. 

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

So you like suspense? Okay, come with me.

0:03.0

In this voodoo ceremony, they ask the spirits for unity and healing.

0:07.0

My name is Kemi, a tour leader would explore,

0:10.0

and I love showing my small group the Ria Benin in West Africa.

0:14.0

Walking the sacred peaks, flow through a village built on stilts. The craft, the food, the fire.

0:22.6

The Benin life you only experience when you explore.

0:25.8

Search explore.com.com.

0:27.1

And don't just travel.

0:29.3

Explore.

0:35.8

Some crimes are so heartbreaking or shocking that they change laws, change society, or even

0:43.0

earn the label, Crime of the Century.

0:46.4

But the stories that made headlines in decades past aren't necessarily remembered today.

0:52.5

I'm Amber Hunt, a journalist, an author, and in each episode of this show,

0:57.1

I'll examine a case that's maybe lesser known today, but was huge when it happened.

1:03.8

This is Crimes of the Centuries.

1:06.7

Thank you. It was early that Tuesday morning, April 17, 2012, people were just getting their coffee.

1:24.1

Kathy Swanson was already at work.

1:26.4

She'd made a habit lately of settling herself in before Rita Crenwell arrived.

1:31.3

That morning, I went into the mayor's office.

1:33.7

I said, Jim, I can't do this anymore.

1:36.2

And he just looked up at me and he said, Kathy, today's the day.

1:39.7

Swanson could barely breathe when she heard Rita walk down the hall to talk with the mayor.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Amber Hunt and Audioboom, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Amber Hunt and Audioboom and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.