Who is 'The Horse Queen'? The Secrets Behind the Scammer That Ruined Dixon, IL

Firebug

Sony Music

Society & Culture, Documentary, True Crime

4.8 • 1.7K Ratings

🗓️ 2 October 2023

⏱️ 9 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

From the team that brought you Firebug and Crimetown comes a new true crime story, Crooked City: Dixon, IL, available now wherever you get your podcasts. It's the 1990's and in the world of show horses - Rita Crundwell was the name on everyone's lips. Known as "The Horse Queen," she was the proud owner of hundreds of champion quarter horses on her ranch outside the small city of Dixon, Illinois. But something wasn't adding up with Crundwell's equestrian empire. A shocking FBI investigation revealed a decades long scam that Rita was running from inside the halls of Dixon City Hall, a scam that drained the town completely dry. How did this horse crazed criminal get away with the largest municipal embezzlement in American history? Reveal the secrets of The Horse Queen on the new season of Crooked City: Dixon IL. Subscribers to The Binge can listen to all episodes of Crooked City: Dixon, IL right now, completely ad-free. Catch new episodes of Crooked City: Dixon, IL every week wherever you get your podcasts or subscribe to The Binge and unlock all episodes ad-free today. Just click ‘Subscribe’ on the top of the Crooked City show page on Apple Podcasts or visit GetTheBinge.com to get access wherever you listen. A Truth Media & Sony Music Entertainment production. Find out more about The Binge and other podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow us @sonypodcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey listeners, Mark Smirling here from the team that brought you Firebug.
0:05.0	If you loved our show, I want to point you to another podcast series we produce, Crooked
0:10.0	City.
0:11.0	Maybe you've already heard of it.
0:13.0	The first season took us to Youngstown, Ohio, the second season, the Emerald Triangle of Northern
0:18.0	California.
0:19.0	And now this new season, we'll take you to the Heartland of America, Dixon Illinois.
0:24.0	And like Firebug, Crooked City Dixon Illinois takes you behind closed doors to expose a wild
0:29.0	crime that was happening for more than 20 years in plain sight.
0:33.0	A local woman managed to drain her hometown dry and pursuit of her passion, hundreds of champion
0:39.0	quarter horses.
0:40.0	Join host Alexa Burke for Crooked City season three, Dixon Illinois.
0:45.0	Here's a clip, take a listen.
0:49.0	Every minute you're realizing it's a bigger deal.
0:59.0	This is Lee Berryhill.
1:01.0	After her and her husband Leonard heard about Rita's arrest, they headed to the Mary J. Ranch
1:07.0	in Wisconsin.
1:08.0	The helicopters were everywhere and they're hanging out with big lenses and they're outside
1:14.0	the gates of the Mary J trying to take pictures and you know you're just like wow.
1:23.0	The Mary J. Ranch was home to Rita's boyfriend, Jim McKillips.
1:28.0	And many people wondered if he might have been involved in some way.
1:32.0	Leonard Berryhill was one of the first people to see Jim after Rita's arrest.
	...

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