Wheeling attorney sentenced for money laundering and fraud

Date: March 23, 2026

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Wheeling, WV - Wheeling Attorney Paul Harris was sentenced today to 97 months in federal prison for defrauding clients and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.

"Citizens should trust lawyers to protect their rights and interests, not to have their money stolen," said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. "Harris broke that trust, and the law, and now he will pay with time in prison." Further, "this office will leave no stone unturned in pursuing full restitution to make the victims whole," said Harvey.

A federal jury found Paul J. Harris of Wheeling guilty in November 2025 of 29 counts. Harris used client funds for personal expenses, such as the purchase of his home and paying off the loan for his law office, without the clients' permission. Harris received and moved funds from his client trust account to his law firm operating account, at times using one client's money to pay funds he had misappropriated from other clients. The total loss for the victims in this case is $701,623.86.

Harris will self-report to prison on May 6, 2026.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod J. Douglas and Jennifer T. Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government, and the matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey handed down the sentence and ordered the forfeiture of the property of Harris Law Offices in Wheeling, as well as $701,623.86 in restitution to the victims.

IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.