CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Wood County man has pleaded guilty to wire fraud after admitting he stole more than $510,000 from his employer through fraudulent charges made to company-issued fuel credit cards.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, Jeffrey Jeffers, 35, of Williamstown, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of wire fraud.
Court documents and statements made in court state that between November 2022 and July 2024, Jeffers worked as a truck driver delivering products for a large industrial gas provider from its distribution facility in Wood County. The trucks were fueled at the company’s distribution facility and were equipped with company fuel credit cards.
As part of his guilty plea, Jeffers admitted to fraudulently charging a total of $510,465.19 in fuel costs to the company-issued credit cards during his employment. Prosecutors said the fraudulent payments were directed to accounts for fictitious service stations that Jeffers created using online payment processing platforms. Jeffers also admitted that his delivery routes normally did not require refueling outside of the distribution facility.
Jeffers is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 9, 2026. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. He also owes $510,465.19 in restitution.
“This defendant exploited the trust placed in him by his employer and turned a company resource into a personal revenue stream,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito.
“Fraud is not a victimless crime. Every dollar stolen through deception is a dollar taken from a business, its employees, and ultimately the community it serves. This case demonstrates that complex fraud schemes carried out behind computer screens and online payment platforms are no less serious than any other form of theft. Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who believe they can enrich themselves through dishonesty and abuse of trust.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing, and Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.
