Former Exton Bank Worker Stole $118,000 From Customers: DA

EXTON, PA – A former worker at the Exton Downingtown National Bank and the manager of a Downigntown National Bank branch is facing numerous felony charges after allegedly embezzling more than $118,000 from eight customers of the bank, according to the Chester County District Attorney's Office.

Anthony James Rife, 38, of Parkesburg, is facing 216 total felony counts of various charges in the case, according to court records. Those include theft by unlawful taking; forgery; unlawful use of a computer; computer trespassing to transfer funds; and more.

Rife, who is a member of the Parkesburg Borough Council, worked at the Exton branch and served as the manager for the Ludwig's Corner branch.

It was in 2017 when a bank customer contacted Rife about funds missing from a trust account, but Rife was not at the bank and another worker looked into the missing funds, unraveling the alleged embezzlement scheme, the DA's office said.

Investigators learned Rife was allegedly taking funds from eight different victims' accounts at the bank.

In total, Rife is accused of taking $118,771.18 from the victims.

"The defendant created a complex web of transactions both to access the money and cover up his activities," the DA's office said. "The defendant even activated the dormant account of Richard Baker, a dead man, as part of his scheme."

Rife is free on $75,000 unsecured bail and slated for a preliminary hearing on July 12.

"DNB did an excellent job working with the District Attorney's Office to investigate this complex scheme after it was discovered," District Attorney Thomas Hogan said in a statement. "A determined insider is always a threat to engage in fraud because of their knowledge of internal operations. But sooner or later, schemes are discovered and prosecuted."

Anyone with information about Rife should contact Chester County Det. Cowdright at (610) 344-6866.

Image via Chester County District Attorney's Office