FBI special agents in Boston apprehended City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson on Friday morning on charges related to public corruption.
According to WCVB, Fernandes Anderson was the subject of a federal investigation, and FBI agents were observed outside her residence in Dorchester during her arrest.
She faces five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft involving programs that receive federal funding, as indicated in a court document from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Federal prosecutors assert that in late 2022, Fernandes Anderson employed a relative and subsequently defrauded the city by proposing a scheme in which the individual would receive "additional compensation" while returning a significant portion of this bonus pay.
Tania Fernandes Anderson
Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was taken into custody on Friday morning, as reported by various media outlets (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images).
The filing, which was reviewed by the Boston Globe, states, "From early to mid-2023, Fernandes Anderson encountered personal financial challenges, including overdue rent and car payments, a looming $5,000 civil penalty from the Ethics Commission, and accumulating bank overdraft fees, leading to consistently low daily bank balances."
The document further details, "On or about June 9, 2023, at approximately 4:11 p.m., Staff Member A texted Fernandes Anderson, 'Bathroom,' indicating that they were waiting in the bathroom to deliver $7,000 in cash to her." It continued, "Within moments, Fernandes Anderson replied to Staff Member A with 'Ready,' confirming her readiness to accept the cash kickback."
Shortly thereafter, Staff Member A handed Fernandes Anderson approximately $7,000 in cash in a bathroom at City Hall.
