BOSTON — Tania Fernandes Anderson, a Boston city councilor representing District 7, was arrested by federal authorities on Thursday after being indicted on charges of orchestrating a kickback scheme to misappropriate taxpayer funds. The indictment alleges Fernandes Anderson funneled public money to a staff member in exchange for thousands of dollars in cash kickbacks.
Tania Fernandes Anderson, a woke BLM Muslim former illegal migrant Democrat serving on the Boston City Council, has been arrested by the FBI after being indicted on five counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting theft concerning a program… pic.twitter.com/GxvA2jKgXj
— Andy Ngo 🏳️🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) December 6, 2024
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Fernandes Anderson, 45, faces five counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. She was taken into custody early Thursday and is scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston at 2:15 p.m.
“By allegedly orchestrating a scheme to funnel public funds into her own pocket, City Councilor Fernandes Anderson betrayed the trust of her constituents and violated her fiduciary duty as a public servant,” said U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy in a statement.
Federal investigators allege that Fernandes Anderson, who earns $115,000 annually as a city councilor, arranged for an unusually large $13,000 bonus to be paid to a staff member in May 2023. The bonus was more than double the total bonus payments given to all of her other staff combined. Fernandes Anderson then allegedly directed the staff member to withdraw the funds in multiple installments, ultimately handing her $7,000 in cash during a meeting in a City Hall bathroom.
The charges also stem from Fernandes Anderson’s hiring practices. In 2022, she reportedly hired two immediate family members as salaried staff, a violation of Massachusetts state law. When ordered to terminate their employment, Fernandes Anderson allegedly hired another relative under false pretenses, misrepresenting their relationship in official communications to city employees.
Federal officials highlighted the brazenness of the alleged scheme. “Using public office for personal gain is a crime,” said Jodi Cohen, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Her behavior, as alleged, is a slap in the face to the hardworking taxpayers in the city of Boston.”
Fernandes Anderson was first elected to the city council in November 2021 and re-elected in 2023. She represents District 7, which includes Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway, and parts of the South End. The indictment details financial difficulties faced by Fernandes Anderson in 2023, including a $5,000 civil penalty imposed by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission.
The FBI, working alongside the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, indicated that Fernandes Anderson’s case is part of a broader effort to combat public corruption. “Elected officials are held to a higher standard,” said Jonathan Wlodyka, acting special agent in charge of the IRS’s Boston office.
Fernandes Anderson’s arrest marks the latest corruption scandal to roil Boston politics, raising fresh concerns about oversight of elected officials.
Federal officials allege Fernandes Anderson abused her position of trust to personally enrich herself at the expense of Boston taxpayers.