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PITTSBURGH – Christopher Furman, 53, a Pittsburgh attorney, is facing federal charges for allegedly pilfering $1,379,300 from the Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline. The group runs the historic Duquesne Incline, a Pittsburgh landmark.
According to a federal indictment unsealed today, Furman, while serving as President of the Board of Trustees, systematically transferred funds from the charity’s accounts into his own between October 2024 and September 2025 – over 25 transactions in total. He wasn’t authorized to access, let alone spend, those funds.
The indictment alleges Furman didn’t just pocket the cash. He allegedly funneled the stolen money into a cryptocurrency exchange, buying and selling digital currency for his own profit. Furman had previously worked at the incline and leveraged that history to land the board position.
If convicted, Furman faces up to 20 years in prison per count of wire fraud and up to 10 years per count of money laundering. He’s also looking at hefty fines – potentially double the amount he stole. The actual sentence will depend on sentencing guidelines and any prior record.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan McKenna is handling the prosecution.