The Finances of the Boston Bombers

The financial situation of Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the brothers responsible for the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, has been a subject of considerable scrutiny and speculation. Their seemingly modest circumstances and the nature of their funding remain a complex and debated topic.

Tamerlan, the older brother, was unemployed at the time of the bombing. He had previously participated in amateur boxing but had been barred from competition. While there were claims of him having aspirations for a professional career, he did not appear to hold consistent employment. Reports indicate he relied on his wife, Katherine Russell, who worked as a home health aide, for financial support. He also reportedly sold marijuana.

Dzhokhar, the younger brother, was a student at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. He received a Pell Grant for financial aid, a federal subsidy available to low-income students. This grant suggests he came from a family with limited resources. His employment history was sparse; he worked as a lifeguard during the summer and held odd jobs, contributing to his personal expenses and potentially assisting his family.

One of the key questions surrounding the Tsarnaev brothers’ finances is how they acquired the funds to purchase the materials needed to construct the bombs. The bombs themselves were made primarily from pressure cookers, readily available and relatively inexpensive. The most significant expense was likely the gunpowder, which could have been acquired through various means. Some evidence suggested they disassembled fireworks to obtain gunpowder, a less expensive alternative to purchasing it directly. The investigation into the source of the gunpowder yielded limited concrete conclusions, leaving open the possibility of multiple avenues for procurement.

There was intense investigation into potential foreign funding or involvement. Despite the brothers’ Chechen heritage and Tamerlan’s travel to Dagestan, Russia, investigators found no conclusive evidence of financial support from foreign terrorist organizations. The official narrative maintains that the brothers were primarily self-radicalized and acted independently, financing their plot through their limited means and ingenuity. Claims of welfare fraud by the family were investigated, but ultimately did not reveal substantial or directly relevant illicit funding for the bombing.

The lack of significant wealth and the absence of clear external financial support have led many to conclude that the Boston Marathon bombing was a relatively low-cost act of terrorism. The brothers utilized readily available resources and ingenuity to carry out their attack. While the exact financial details remain somewhat murky, the consensus is that the bombing was not fueled by a large influx of funds or external financial networks, highlighting the potential for individuals to commit acts of terror with limited resources.