The City of Dixon: How Rita Crundwell Stole 53 Million Dollars

Devon C. Bruce is a partner at the law firm of Power, Rogers & Smith. Prior to joining the firm in 1994, Devon C. Bruce was a law clerk for Justice Moses Harrison II on the Illinois Supreme Court. Since joining the firm, Mr. Bruce has represented victims of accounting malpractice, embezzlement, qui tam actions, banking negligence, medical malpractice, construction negligence and other types of personal injury cases. He has also served as trial counsel in two Illinois re-districting cases including being appointed Special Assistant Attorney General on behalf of the State of Illinois in the re-districting matter of Committee for a Fair and Balanced Map, et Al. v. Illinois State Board of Elections, 11 C 5065. In 2013, Mr. Bruce obtained a $40 million dollar settlement for the City of Dixon arising out of the embezzlement by Rita Crundwell of the City for over 18 years. This has been reported as the largest embezzlement committed upon a municipality in the Country. He has obtained numerous settlements and verdicts well in excess of a million dollars on behalf of his clients at the trial court level. Additionally, Mr. Bruce has successfully briefed and argued numerous cases on behalf of his clients in the Illinois Appellate and Illinois Supreme Courts. Mr. Bruce serves on the Board of Managers of the Illinois State Trial Lawyers Association. He is the Chairman of the Illinois State Board of Investment, which oversees the investments of three of the state’s five pension funds which invests funds over 15 billion dollars. He also serves on the Navy Pier Board, the Regional Board of the American Ireland Fund and the Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago.

Jim Burke is a life-long resident of Dixon, Illinois. He was first elected Mayor of Dixon in 1999 and is currently serving his 4th term in office. In addition to being Mayor, Burke is the owner of United Country Burke Realty. Burke attended Rockford College. He was elected to 3 consecutive terms on Dixon’s City Council between 1967-1979. He currently sits on the Advisory Board to Illinois State Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka. Jim is married to his wife, Lucy, and has 4 children and 4 grandchildren.