UPDATE: Boston city councilor arrested for alleged staff kickback scheme

Christopher Boardman,
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Tania Fernandes Anderson (AP)

BOSTON, Mass. (WLNE) — The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) District of Massachusetts announced Friday morning that they have arrested a Boston City Councilor on federal public corruption charges.

Tania Fernandes Anderson, 45, of Boston, was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds according to USAO.

Anderson was arrested Friday morning at her home in Boston and will appear in Boston federal court at 2:15 p.m. Friday.

“The FBI arrested Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson today for allegedly orchestrating a kickback scheme in which she stole thousands of dollars in taxpayer money for herself,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division.

Anderson allegedly hired two immediate family members as salaried employees of her staff in 2022, which is prohibited by law, resulting in their August 2022 termination.

Staff Member A was a relative but not immediate family member of Anderson, and in November 2022, Anderson allegedly emailed a Boston city employee “falsely representing that she and Staff Member A were not related.”

In 2023, Anderson was allegedly experiencing financial hardship, including an outstanding $5,000 civil penalty.

Anderson allegedly told Staff Member A that she would give them a large bonus, but a portion of the money would be given back to Anderson.

Staff Member A agreed to the arrangement, according to the USAO.

In May of 2023, Anderson allegedly emailed a Boston city employee to process bonus payments for her staff, instructing the employee to include a $13,000 payment to Staff Member A.

This was more than twice the amount of all other bonus payments to Anderson’s other staff combined.

The alleged bonus kickback arrangement was not disclosed.

After Staff Member A deposited the bonus check in their account, they allegedly made three separate cash withdrawals at Anderson’s direction.

These were withdrawals were for $3,000 on May 31, 2023, $3,000 on June 5, 2023 and $4,000 on June 9, 2023.

Anderson and Staff Member A allegedly met in a Boston City Hall bathroom on June 9, 2023 where Anderson was provided with $7,000 in cash.

Anderson faces up to 20 years in prison for each charge of wire fraud and 10 years in prison for the charge of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.

Categories: Massachusetts, News

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