Boston Marathon Bombings: Dzhokhar and his brother (pictured) were not connected to any known terrorist groups, but were motivated by extremist Islamic beliefs. (Photo: Reuters)
IN PHOTO: Boston Marathon Bombings: Dzhokhar and his brother (pictured) were not connected to any known terrorist groups, but were motivated by extremist Islamic beliefs. Reuters

41-year old Joanna Leigh from Jamaica Plain was indicted by a grand jury of Suffolk County on March 10 for larceny after she allegedly falsely claimed a total of U$40,000 ($52,431) as compensation from One Fund Boston — and other sources — on the pretence that after the Boston marathon bombing in 2013, she sustained traumatic brain injury.

One Fund Boston was organised by Thomas M. Menino and Deval Patrick, the then-mayor and then-governor respectively, to provide fund for the bombing victims. From that source, Leigh received $8,000. Other sources from where she was accused of unduly receiving money include a school fundraising campaign which gave her $1,700, an online fundraiser from which she collected $9,000, and Massachusetts Victims for Violent Crime compensation fund, which she benefited more than $18,000. Besides the cash, the indictment indicated Leigh also accepted free medical treatment.

Investigators from Suffolk County and Boston Police said Leigh was not hurt, albeit nobody contested her testimony she was at the bombing site. The investigators said the accused did not file any claims until after two weeks.

“When she did begin to make those claims, she billed herself as a “hero” who ran toward the second blast,” CNN quoted the authorities.

A Payback For Criticisms

Leigh said on Thursday the indictment was a retribution for criticising the One Fund Boston. There are people including her who claimed they were not appropriately compensated by the fund because of the way the organisation calculated payments. She elaborated that if someone’s injury did not require an overnight stay at the hospital, the compensation received is only $8,000, which is significantly lower compared to $125,000, the amount given to those who had to stay at the hospital.

She told Boston Globe the indictment is not about her. She said she is indicted because she spoke about the One Fund. She further said that her indictment is about killing the messenger. She went after the governor and the mayor’s charity, did not shut up about it and caused them trouble.

Leigh’s charges are not the first involving the Boston bombing. According to the news, last year in June, Domunique Grice and Branden Mattier were convicted of filing a claim on behalf of an aunt who is already dead 10 years earlier. Earlier in May 2014, Audrea Gause entered a guilty plea to larceny charges. Iris Gamble was also charged with theft and fraud in 2013 after the fund spotted irregularities in her application.

The trial for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the Chechnya native accused of the said bombing, is currently being heard.

For comments or feedback on the article, please contact the writer at selivak@ibtimes.com.au.

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