⏱ 2 min read
Richard DiStefano, a 66-year-old attorney from Paoli, Pennsylvania, stole valuable coins from a safe deposit box at a Wells Fargo branch on South Broad Street in Chester County between July 2017 and February 2021. The heist, which went undetected for years, was finally uncovered in June 2024 when the FBI was notified of the theft. DiStefano’s motive was financial gain, as he sold the stolen coins at various auction houses.
The investigation, led by the FBI, revealed that DiStefano was the last person to access the safe deposit box, and a search warrant executed at his address in September 2024 found evidence of the stolen coins. DiStefano admitted to the crime and pleaded guilty in September of the same year.
The stolen coins had an appraised value of just over $1.6 million. DiStefano was sentenced to one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1.6 million in restitution. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Grenell and Ruth Mandelbaum.
The sentence brings an end to the case, but raises questions about the security measures in place at financial institutions to prevent such crimes. The FBI’s investigation and the prosecution’s efforts ensured that justice was served, but the incident serves as a reminder of the need for vigilance in protecting valuable assets.
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📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Defendant: Pennsylvania
- Location: PA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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