Wheeling Attorney Convicted on Multiple Fraud and Money Laundering Charges

A Wheeling attorney has been found guilty by a federal jury on 29 counts of fraud and money laundering, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia. Paul J. Harris, 62, was convicted of unlawfully using client funds for his personal expenses, including the purchase of his home and operating his law practice, without client authorization. The jury heard evidence that Harris moved funds from his client trust account to his firm’s operating account, and in some instances, used money from one client to cover misappropriated funds from another.

The conviction stems from allegations that Harris engaged in fraudulent financial transactions. The jury’s verdict followed testimony detailing how he improperly accessed and utilized funds entrusted to him by his clients. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is pursuing a monetary judgment, restitution for the victims, and the forfeiture of property associated with Harris Law Offices in Wheeling. If convicted of the mail and wire fraud counts, Harris could face up to 20 years in federal prison for each offense. The unlawful monetary transaction counts carry a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison per count. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod J. Douglas and Jennifer T. Conklin, with the investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided over the proceedings.

This case highlights the importance of trust and ethical conduct in the legal profession, particularly when handling client finances.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of West Virginia

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