Incline Thief: Lawyer Siphoned $1.3M

⏱ 3 min read

Pittsburgh lawyer Christopher Furman, 53, is facing federal charges after allegedly looting over $1.3 million from the nonprofit that keeps the historic Duquesne Incline chugging. The Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline reported the missing funds, leading to an investigation and Furman’s Wednesday indictment on wire fraud and money laundering charges. The alleged theft began in October 2024 and continued for nearly a year.

Furman, who served as president of the Incline’s preservation society, didn’t just skim a little off the top. He allegedly transferred $1,379,300 from the organization’s accounts into his personal holdings, with zero authorization. Sources say the funds weren’t misallocated or spent on incline upkeep – they were straight-up diverted.

The feds say Furman wasn’t content with just holding the cash. He allegedly funneled the stolen money into a cryptocurrency exchange, playing the digital market in a bid to multiply his ill-gotten gains. The US Attorney’s office documented over 25 electronic transactions used to move the money, attempting to obscure the trail.

If convicted, Furman’s looking at up to 20 years on each wire fraud count, and another decade for each money laundering charge. The government will also likely seek forfeiture of the cryptocurrency and any other assets purchased with the stolen funds, plus hefty fines. Sentencing will depend on federal guidelines and any prior criminal record.