Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson will face a judge Friday afternoon on federal public corruption charges.
“When her constituents elected Ms. Fernandes Anderson, she had a fundamental obligation to act with the utmost integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy. “Public officials who line their pockets with taxpayer money erode the trust and confidence of the public and the officials who serve them.”
Fernandes Anderson, 45, was arrested Friday morning around 6:30 a.m. outside her home in Dorchester. She was escorted to the Moakley Federal Court House in handcuffs by FBI agents.
According to a 11-page indictment, she is facing five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds.
Alleged kickback scheme
Fernandes Anderson is accused of a kickback scheme in cooperation with a relative of hers who she hired to work in her office, then paid a bonus to that was twice as much as all the other bonuses in her office combined; the relative then gave Fernandes Anderson $7,000 of that bonus in a Boston City Hall bathroom.
According to court documents, shortly after being elected in 2021 Fernandes Anderson hired two members of her immediate family as salaried employees of her staff in violation of state law prohibiting hiring of immediate family members. She was required to terminate those employees in August 2011 and faced a $5,000 civil penalty payment to the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission following investigation into the hiring.
“From in or about early to mid-2023, Fernandes Anderson was allegedly facing personal financial difficulty, which included the outstanding $5,000 civil penalty payment to the Ethics Commission,” the U.S. Attorney’s office said in a statement. “It is further alleged that, in or about early May 2023, Fernandes Anderson told Staff Member A that she would give them extra pay in the form of a large bonus, but that Staff Member A would have to give a portion of the bonus back to Fernandes Anderson. Staff Member A agreed to the arrangement with Fernandes Anderson.”
Before arrest, defiant and determined to stay in office
7News has been reporting on Fernandes Anderson this week, with sources saying she is the subject of federal investigation.
When asked about this Wednesday, she said her focus remains on serving her constituents.
“I’m not thinking about stepping down,” Fernandes Anderson told 7News as she arrived for work at City Hall. “I’m not thinking about any of that. I’m thinking about the work.”
When pressed about what federal investigators are looking for, or if she did anything wrong, Fernandes Anderson wouldn’t budge.
“I can not comment on the case itself,” she said. “I can not comment on it at all.”
Fernandes Anderson was elected to the Boston City Council in 2021. She is the first African immigrant and Muslim-American elected to the council. She represents Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway, and parts of the South End.
Mayor Wu urges resignation
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said she urges Fernandes Anderson to resign.
“Like any member of the community, Councilor Fernandes Anderson has the right to a fair legal process,” Wu said in a statement. “But the serious nature of these charges undermine the public trust and will prevent her from effectively serving the city. I urge Councilor Fernandes Anderson to resign.”
Boston City Councilor At-Large Erin Murphy called the allegations “deeply disturbing”.
“I firmly believe that any official who engages in criminal activity or unethical behavior must be held fully accountable,” Murphy said. “We are here to uplift and protect the people of Boston, not to exploit our positions for personal benefit. To betray this trust is to betray every resident who looks to us for leadership.”
Appearance before judge Friday afternoon
Fernandes Anderson is scheduled to appear before a judge for her initial court appearance on Friday at 2:15 p.m. She is being held in a holding cell in the courthouse until that time.
The U.S. Attorney for Boston said this investigation is active and ongoing and he did not rule out the potential of future arrests.
This is a developing new story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
