Incline Heist: Lawyer Pilfers $1.3M

⏱ 3 min read

Pittsburgh attorney Christopher Furman, 53, stands accused of a cold-blooded betrayal of the historic Duquesne Incline. Between October 2024 and September 2025, the man tasked with *protecting* the iconic incline’s finances allegedly siphoned off over $1.3 million for a personal crypto scheme. Furman, who served as President of the Board of Trustees, used his position to line his own pockets, investigators say.

The Duquesne Incline, a Pittsburgh staple operating since 1964, hired Furman based on his legal background and prior work with the incline. The indictment details over 25 electronic transfers – a clear pattern of unauthorized access and blatant misuse of the organization’s funds. No authorization for these transfers existed. Furman wasn’t just borrowing; he was stealing.

Instead of preserving the landmark, Furman allegedly dumped the stolen cash into the volatile cryptocurrency market, gambling on a quick profit. He funneled the money through an online exchange, converting it into digital assets. It wasn’t about preservation; it was about pure, reckless greed.

Now, the lawyer faces a potential 20-year stretch for each of ten wire fraud counts, plus another decade for money laundering – a possible total of 200 years. Fines could reach into the millions, dependent on the court’s assessment of his ill-gotten gains. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan McKenna is leading the prosecution.