WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Margaret Ann Moffitt, of Sistersville, West Virginia, has admitted to mail fraud, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.
Moffitt, 63, pleaded guilty today to one count of “Mail Fraud.” Moffitt stole money from the estate of someone in the amount of $156,744.87. As the executor of the estate, she made cash withdrawals and endorsed checks to be mailed to people not associated with the estate in any way. She then caused checks to be mailed to the beneficiaries of the state, knowing the funds were no longer in the account. She stopped payments on those checks because she knew the funds were gone. The crimes occurred from August 2019 to December 2020 in Tyler and Wetzel Counties.
Moffitt faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Wet Virginia State Police and the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney for Tyler County investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.