A Chester County man has pleaded guilty to stealing valuable coins from a bank safe deposit box in Philadelphia. Richard DiStefano, 65, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, entered his plea before United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage on one count of bank larceny.
According to court filings and the defendant’s own admission, DiStefano began taking coins from a Wells Fargo safety deposit box located on the 100 block of South Broad Street starting in July 2017. The thefts continued until February 25, 2021. The coins belonged to an organization that stored them at the bank.
The FBI was notified about the theft in June 2024 and obtained records showing that DiStefano was the last person with access to the safety deposit box. In September 2024, agents executed a search warrant at DiStefano’s home. During this search, he admitted to stealing the coins. Investigators determined that over several years, DiStefano removed coins from the box and sold them through various auction houses. The appraised value of the stolen coins was 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 $250,000.
United States Attorney David Metcalf announced the guilty plea and stated that Assistant United States Attorney Jason Grenell is prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI.
