A Chester County man has pleaded guilty to stealing valuable coins from a bank safe deposit box, according to an announcement by United States Attorney David Metcalf. Richard DiStefano, 65, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, entered his plea before United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage on one count of bank larceny.
DiStefano was charged earlier this month in connection with the theft of coins that belonged to an organization and were kept at a Wells Fargo branch on South Broad Street in Philadelphia. According to court filings and statements made by DiStefano, he began taking the coins in July 2017 and continued until February 25, 2021.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was alerted to the theft in June 2024. Investigators determined that DiStefano was the last individual with access to the safety deposit box before the coins went missing. In September 2024, agents executed a search warrant at his residence. During this search, DiStefano admitted to stealing the coins.
The investigation revealed that over several years, DiStefano removed coins from the deposit box and sold them through various auction houses. The appraised value of the stolen coins totaled just over $1.6 million.
DiStefano is scheduled for sentencing on January 13, 2026. He faces up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jason Grenell is prosecuting the case.
