Clifton Wilson
A Bryn Mawr man is charged with writing checks to himself in excess of $900,000 from the farm owner who employed him as a part-time painter and using the proceeds on a lavish lifestyle including trips and pricey cars.
Clifton Wilson, 35, faces charges of theft and related charges in a case where authorities allege he misappropriated funds from the owner of a Willistown farm.
“The defendant took advantage of his position of trust,” Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said in a statement. “He stole checks, forged the victim’s signature, and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars all because of simple greed.”
Police said the victim noticed an issue when she saw an unauthorized check to Wilson for $18,000 in February. She contacted local and county law enforcement, which began an investigation into the matter.
“This was excellent team work by law enforcement,”Willistown Police Chief John Narcise said. “The Willistown Police Department and Chester County Detectives worked together to investigate this case thoroughly and rapidly, making sure to protect the residents of Willistown. Unfortunately, this case is also a sad reminder that people and businesses need to be very careful about whom they trust.”
Authorities said that their investigation revealed that between May 2014 and February 2016, that Wilson, working part-time as a painter at the farm in Willistown, used his access to the property to steal 148 blank checks from the victim.
The defendant then forged the victim’s signature and deposited the checks in various personal accounts. The thefts ranged from forged checks for $900 up to $18,000 at a time. The total amount embezzled was $927,100.
Authorities said that Wilson used the stolen money to pay for various personal items and expenses. These items included: two Maserati vehicles, a Porsche SUV, a Land Rover, a rental home, and a family vacation to the Bahamas.
But, when caught, Hogan said, Wilson immediately cooperated.
“The only good news here is that the defendant and his attorney were immediately cooperative,” Hogan said. “The defendant already has made in excess of $500,000 in restitution. Acceptance of responsibility is always a factor that the District Attorney’s Office considers in the ultimate disposition of a case.”
The defendant’s bail is $500,000.00 unsecured. This case was investigated by the Chester County Detectives and Willistown Police Department. The assigned prosecutor is Assistant District Attorney Basil Joy. Anybody with any information should contact Willistown Detective Steve Jones at 610-251-0222.
