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Crime & Justice • Domestic Terrorism

Ted Kaczynski

Ted Kaczynski was an American mathematician and domestic terrorist known as the Unabomber.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Ted Kaczynski was an American mathematician and domestic terrorist known as the Unabomber. He carried out a nationwide mail bombing campaign from 1978 to 1995 that killed three people and injured 23 others. Following his arrest in 1996, he pleaded guilty in 1998 and was sentenced to life in prison, where he died in 2023.

Early life and education

Ted Kaczynski was born on May 22, 1942, in Evergreen Park, Illinois. He showed early aptitude in mathematics and attended Harvard University, later earning a doctorate in mathematics from the University of Michigan.

Academic career

Kaczynski taught mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley, before leaving academic life and moving to a remote cabin in Montana.

Bombing campaign

Between 1978 and 1995, Kaczynski conducted a mail bombing campaign targeting people associated with modern technology and universities. The attacks killed three people and injured 23 others.

Arrest and imprisonment

Kaczynski was arrested in 1996 after being identified during a lengthy FBI investigation. He pleaded guilty in 1998 and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Death

Kaczynski died in federal custody on June 10, 2023, in Butner, North Carolina.

Key facts

  • Ted Kaczynski was a mathematics prodigy who became a domestic terrorist.
  • His mail bombing campaign ran from 1978 to 1995, killing three and injuring 23.
  • The FBI investigation identified and arrested him in 1996.
  • He pleaded guilty in 1998 and received a life sentence without parole.
  • He died in prison in June 2023.
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Canadian context

Kaczynski’s crimes and the FBI investigation were widely reported in Canada and remain part of North American discussions of domestic terrorism, radicalization, and security policy.

Frequently asked questions

Who was Ted Kaczynski?
Ted Kaczynski was an American mathematician and domestic terrorist known as the Unabomber.
Why was he called the Unabomber?
The nickname came from the FBI code name for the investigation into his mail bomb attacks.
How many people did he kill and injure?
His bombing campaign killed three people and injured 23 others.
When was Ted Kaczynski arrested?
He was arrested in 1996 after a long FBI investigation.
What sentence did he receive?
He pleaded guilty in 1998 and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
When did he die?
He died in federal custody on June 10, 2023.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Kaczynski
    Supports: Birth and death dates, biography, bombing campaign, arrest, sentence, and nickname.
  2. Encyclopaedia Britannica — https://www.britannica.com/summary/Ted-Kaczynski
    Supports: Education, academic career, Montana retreat, bombing campaign, manifesto, arrest, and life sentence.
  3. Federal Bureau of Investigation — https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/unabomber
    Supports: FBI investigation timeline, bombing campaign, casualties, and arrest.
  4. Biography.com — https://www.biography.com/crime/ted-kaczynski
    Supports: Academic background, bombing campaign, manifesto, arrest, imprisonment, and death.