Boston woman charged with fraudulently accepting benefits for marathon bombing injuries

Published May 03, 2016

A Boston woman has been indicted on charges of fraudulently receiving tens of thousands of dollars in benefits by claiming she was injured in the Boston Marathon bombing.

Joanna Leigh was indicted on charges of larceny and making a false claim to a government agency.

Prosecutors say she received $8,000 from The One Fund, a charity established to help bombing victims; $18,000 from a state victims' compensation fund; $9,000 from an online fundraiser; and $1,700 raised by students at a Boston school.

Authorities say she was at the marathon in April 2013, but was not injured.

The 41-year-old Leigh says she suffered traumatic brain injuries, and the charges are retaliation for her criticism of The One Fund for not benefiting people with such injuries.

Arraignment is scheduled for Monday.

URL

https://www.foxnews.com/us/boston-woman-charged-with-fraudulently-accepting-benefits-for-marathon-bombing-injuries