Former Pittsburgh Build Inspector Sentenced For Accepting Bribes

Monday, October 14, 2024, 8:15 A.M. ET. 1 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

PITTSBURGH, PA.- On Wednesday, October 9, 2024, Walter Eiseman, 59, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, appeared in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Mark P. Hornak to 18 months of federal probation, including 90 days of home confinement, a $1,375 forfeiture, and a $1,500 fine, for his conviction for Bribery.

     According to U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan and documents filed with the court, Eiseman was a building inspector for the City of Pittsburgh, where he was responsible for inspecting properties subject to applications for certificates of occupancy.

     In 2018, a developer was working on a project to redevelop a commercial building in downtown Pittsburgh into luxury rental apartments and hotel rooms. As part of the financing for the project, the developer sought a historical tax abatement, which could only be granted after the developer obtained a temporary certificate of occupancy for one of the building’s floors by the end of December 2018.

Eiseman Admits To Soliciting Bribes

     During his plea allocution, Eiseman admitted to conducting inspections on two floors of the project during December, which resulted in the issuance of a temporary certificate of occupancy. In return for Eiseman’s actions, Eiseman accepted home appliances from the developer, which were delivered in early January 2019. Eiseman further admitted that he solicited a set of cabinets from the developer, which were ordered but never delivered to Eiseman’s home.

     U.S. Attorney Olshan commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation that led to Eiseman’s successful prosecution.