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West Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to $510,000 Employer Fraud

2026-08-02 Read:2181

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Jeffrey Jeffers, 35, of Williamstown, pleaded guilty July 30 to wire fraud after admitting that he defrauded his employer of $510,465.19 through false charges made to company-issued fuel credit cards.

According to court records, Jeffers worked as a delivery truck driver for a major industrial gas provider between November 2022 and July 2024. Although the company’s trucks were normally fueled at its Wood County distribution facility and his delivery routes did not require outside refueling, Jeffers repeatedly submitted fraudulent fuel charges.

Jeffers admitted that the payments were directed to accounts associated with fictitious service stations he had created through online payment-processing platforms.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 9, 2026. Jeffers faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. He must also pay $510,465.19 in restitution. The FBI investigated the case.