RICHMOND, Va. -- A former longtime employee of locally based Primis Bank is facing federal prison time after pleading guilty this week to an embezzlement scheme the bank first discovered and disclosed last summer.
James Stevens, who worked at Primis and its predecessors Sonabank, EVB and Southside Bank from 2000 to 2023, struck a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Wednesday and admitted to stealing nearly $2.5 million from his employer.
Stevens, a 46-year-old resident of Weems, Virginia, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and agreed to pay restitution to the bank of $2.47 million.
