A Pittsburgh attorney is accused of turning one of the city’s most beloved landmarks into his personal cash machine, with federal prosecutors saying he siphoned about $1.38 million from the nonprofit that runs the historic Duquesne Incline.
A federal grand jury indicted 53-year-old Christopher Furman on wire fraud and money laundering charges tied to his time as board president of the society that oversees the incline. Prosecutors allege he moved money out of the group’s bank accounts and into accounts he controlled, then routed it through a cryptocurrency exchange.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania, a 10-count indictment accuses Furman of transferring approximately $1,379,300 from the Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline into his own accounts through more than 25 electronic transactions. Prosecutors say he then used an online cryptocurrency exchange to buy and sell digital assets for his own benefit. The alleged transfers took place between October 2024 and September 2025, and the investigation was led by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting the case, according to the release.
Why the Incline Matters
The Duquesne Incline is more than a photo backdrop. It is a functioning piece of Pittsburgh transportation history and a major tourist draw, with an upper-station museum and a gift shop that help fund operations. The Incline has been carrying riders up Mount Washington since 1877 and is run by the nonprofit Duquesne Incline.
Prosecutors' Account of the Alleged Scheme
The indictment states that Furman was selected as president of the society in 2020 but was not authorized to access its bank accounts for personal use or to tap organizational funds for himself. Prosecutors allege that between October 2024 and September 2025, he diverted roughly $1,379,300 through more than two dozen electronic transfers into accounts he controlled and then into a cryptocurrency exchange, where they say he traded digital assets for personal profit, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office press release.
Penalties and Next Steps
If convicted, each wire fraud count could carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison under 18 U.S.C. § 1343. Counts for engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property can carry penalties of up to 10 years under 18 U.S.C. § 1957. A judge may also impose fines, restitution, and forfeiture, with any sentence guided by federal sentencing guidelines and the specifics of any conviction. An indictment is only an accusation, and Furman is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
