(WHTM) — A Pennsylvania attorney who was also the president of a board that oversees a historic incline allegedly stole millions from the organization for cryptocurrency, according to the Department of Justice.
The DOJ announced Christopher Furman’s, 53, of Pittsburgh, indictment on wire fraud and money laundering charges Thursday.
Furman allegedly stole from the Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline while he was the President of the Board of Trustees, according to the justice department.
The Duquesne Heights Incline opened back in 1870, and thanks to a group of residents, it was rescued and restored in the 1960s. It is still in operation today, according to its website.
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A total of $1,379,300 was transferred from the society’s bank accounts into his own from October 2024 to September 2025. That money was then transferred to an online cryptocurrency exchange and digital asset management platform, where he bought and sold cryptocurrency for his own gain, the DOJ said.
Furman was selected to be the president due to his past history as a former employee of the incline, his familiarity with the incline’s mechanics and his background as attorney.
Each count of wire fraud can lead to a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of more than $250,000. While each count of money laundering can get a defendant up to 10 years in prison and a fine of more than $250,000, the DOJ said.
Furman was indicted on 10 counts, the Justice Department said.
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The FBI spearheaded the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna.
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