Former bank teller sentenced for taking nearly $100,000 from bank

Date: November 7, 2022

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

Clarksburg, WV — David Paul Ritter, a former bank teller at Summit Community Bank in Salem, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 21 months in prison for taking nearly $100,000 from customer accounts, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.

Ritter, of Salem, was employed as a bank teller at Summit Community Bank. From July 2020 until February 2021, Ritter embezzled more than $97,000 from five bank accounts. He then failed to report the extra income in his tax return to the IRS for 2020.

Ritter pleaded guilty in June 2022 to one count of "Bank Theft" and one count of "False Tax Return." As a part of the plea agreement, Ritter agrees to pay $97,765.30 in restitution to the bank. Ritter was also ordered to pay $27,374.28 in restitution to the IRS.

Victims in this case were identified and the bank reimbursed the affected accounts immediately after the theft was discovered.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, and the Harrison County Sheriff's Office investigated.

Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.