Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested on Friday in connection with federal public corruption charges, authorities confirmed. The charges include wire fraud, theft involving programs receiving federal funds, and forfeiture allegations, according to a newly unsealed indictment.
U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy is scheduled to address the charges in a press conference at 9:30 a.m. on Friday at the Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston.
Allegations of wire fraud and kickbacks
The indictment details six counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud in relation to the misuse of federal funds through her position on the City Council. Federal investigators allege that in late 2022, Fernandes Anderson hired a relative to her staff in violation of city regulations that prohibit the employment of immediate family members. Investigators assert that the councilor and her relative agreed that Fernandes Anderson would provide a large bonus to the staffer, who would then return part of that bonus as a kickback.
According to the indictment, Fernandes Anderson falsely claimed that she was not related to the staffer at the time of the hire and failed to disclose the kickback arrangement. She later defended the $13,000 bonus as compensation for prior volunteer work, despite the amount being much higher than any other bonuses granted to her staff.
Tania Fernandes Anderson faced scrutiny in past as well
Authorities allege that the staffer then paid Fernandes Anderson $7,000 in cash, which was exchanged in a bathroom at City Hall.
This is not the first time Fernandes Anderson has faced scrutiny for hiring family members. In 2023, she admitted to an ethics violation after employing her sister and son in full-time positions on her staff. She paid a fine of $5,000 to resolve the issue.
Fernandes Anderson’s hiring practices became controversial shortly after her election in November 2021, when she appointed her sister as the director of constituent services. Her sister’s salary was initially set at $65,000 per year, which was later increased to $70,000, along with a $7,000 bonus in June 2022. The same month, Fernandes Anderson hired her son as an office manager at a starting salary of $52,000. Just weeks after the hire, she gave him an $18,000 raise.
Who is Tania Fernandes Anderson?
Fernandes Anderson, 45, resides in Dorchester and represents District 7 in Boston, covering Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway, and part of the South End. She was re-elected in November 2023. Her record, however, has been marred by previous ethical violations involving the hiring of her relatives, which led to the fine from the state ethics commission.
As the case develops, Fernandes Anderson faces significant legal consequences, with federal authorities closely scrutinizing her actions while in office.
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