Woman charged with stealing $2.3 million from Lemont construction company for travel, horse farm

A former office manager of a construction company in southwest suburban Lemont is accused of stealing more than $2 million from the company to fund a lavish lifestyle that included travel and a private horse farm.

Mildred Crowley, 72, is charged with one count of wire fraud after she allegedly opened a corporate credit card and used it to charge the company for personal expenses from 2009 to 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois said in a statement.

She allegedly used the card to dine at restaurants, shop, travel throughout the U.S. and make payments related to a private horse farm and show horse, prosecutors said.

Crowley allegedly hid the purchases by falsifying the company’s books and records, prosecutors said. In all, she is accused of embezzling more than $2.3 million.

Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, the attorney’s office said.