Convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is currently fighting to prevent federal prosecutors from seizing the funds he has accumulated in his prison canteen account. His attorney filed an appeal in Boston seeking to stop the feds from taking the $4,200-plus in Tsarnaev’s account, arguing that he is not hoarding or spending funds recklessly. Prosecutors claim Tsarnaev has received around $26,000 in donations from strangers, his sisters, and his attorneys, as well as a $1,400 COVID relief payment, with additional unsolicited deposits from unknown individuals.
Federal officials have been attempting for over two years to compel Tsarnaev to surrender the COVID relief money and any other funds in his inmate trust account to help cover the more than $101 million he owes his victims. Following his 2015 trial, Tsarnaev was ordered to pay over $101 million in criminal restitution, of which he has only paid $2,600 so far. This legal battle comes after Tsarnaev was convicted of 30 charges related to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, which killed three people and injured more than 260 others, 17 of whom lost at least one limb. He and his brother led police on a multi-day chase, during which Massachusetts Institute of Technology Police Officer Sean Collier was shot and killed, and Tsarnaev’s brother, Tamerlan, died.
Tsarnaev is currently incarcerated at Colorado’s ADMAX Florence, known as “The Alcatraz of the Rockies,” as his attorneys work to overturn his death sentence. Retired warden Bob Hood commented on taxpayers’ spending for Tsarnaev’s incarceration, which has exceeded $1 million. Hood condemned Tsarnaev’s access to thousands in his prison account as offensive, stating that he entered prison without any funds and should remain unable to access significant amounts of money. He described the support Tsarnaev receives as sickening.
The legal battle over Tsarnaev’s funds is ongoing in Boston, with his attorney arguing against the seizure of his canteen account funds. Despite receiving donations totaling over $26,000, Tsarnaev has been unable to access these funds, which remain in his prison account. Prosecutors have been attempting to secure these funds and additional COVID relief money to contribute towards the large sum Tsarnaev is required to pay in restitution to his victims. This situation arises from Tsarnaev’s conviction on multiple charges connected to the Boston Marathon bombing and subsequent events, including the death of Officer Collier and his brother.
While Tsarnaev remains at the ADMAX Florence facility, efforts to overturn his death sentence continue, and his legal team attempts to protect his remaining funds. The warden and others have expressed strong opinions on Tsarnaev’s access to funds in prison, with Hood specifically deeming it inappropriate and unjust for Tsarnaev to have amassed thousands while incarcerated. The ongoing legal dispute serves as a reminder of the significant financial obligations Tsarnaev faces as a result of his criminal actions and the impact they had on numerous individuals. This situation highlights the complexities and challenges associated with managing the finances of convicted criminals, particularly in cases involving substantial restitution payments to victims.
