Pittsburgh Attorney Charged With Embezzling More Than $1.3 Million From Incline Preservation Society

Published Nov. 6, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.

Nonprofit board presidents who are also lawyers are still fiduciaries of the organization’s money. On March 19, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania announced that Pittsburgh attorney Christopher Furman, 53, was indicted on wire fraud and money laundering charges alleging he embezzled more than $1.3 million from the Society for the Preservation of the Duquesne Heights Incline while serving as board president [1].

Status: A 10-count indictment names Furman as the sole defendant. An indictment is only an allegation. Furman is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty [1].

What the indictment alleges

According to the indictment as summarized by prosecutors [1]:

1. In 2020 Furman became board president of the society that has operated the Duquesne Incline since 1964, based in part on his history as a former incline employee and as an attorney.
2. The indictment alleges a scheme of wire fraud and money laundering tied to more than $1.3 million taken from the organization.

The person charged

Christopher Furman, 53, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Attorney; former incline board president. Indicted; presumed innocent [1].

Case status (as of Nov. 6, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status	Source
Christopher Furman, 53, Pittsburgh	U.S. District Court, W.D. Pa.	10-count indictment (wire fraud / money laundering) announced March 19, 2026; alleged >$1.3M; presumed innocent	[1]

Statuses can change. Charges are allegations.

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania, “Pittsburgh Attorney Charged with Embezzling More Than $1.3 Million From Incline Preservation Society…,” March 19, 2026. https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/pr/pittsburgh-attorney-charged-embezzling-more-13-million-incline-preservation-society