Rita Crundwell's jewellery auctions this weekend

A treasure trove of jewellery once owned by the convicted former Dixon, Illinois comptroller, Rita Crundwell, is to auction online this weekend (February 23).

Among the 351 lots offered, a Rolex watch estimated to be worth $25,000, a jewel encrusted SpongeBob SquarePants pendant (which, at the time of writing, carries a $1,020 maximum bid), and a bar of pure gold with a starting price of $1.5m epitomise Crundwell's lavish tastes.

Rita Crundwell Jewellery Auction
Crundwell’s diamond encrusted SpongeBob SquarePants pendant

Crundwell is believed to have purchased the loot with the $53.7m she embezzled from Dixon while acting as the city's comptroller.

On February 14, District Judge Philip Reinhard sentenced Crundwell to 19.5 years in prison for diverting the money from the city coffers to her own pocket.

As well as investing in jewellery, Crundwell also enjoyed purchasing horses - at the time of her arrest, she owned 400.

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