Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, a Democrat representing District 7, is facing serious legal challenges after admitting to ethics violations and being charged with federal crimes related to a kickback scheme.
In July 2023, the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission fined Fernandes Anderson $5,000 for violating conflict of interest laws by hiring her sister and son to paid positions on her City Council staff. She appointed her sister as Director of Constituent Services with a salary that increased from $65,000 to $70,000, along with a $7,000 bonus. Her son was hired as an office manager with an initial salary of $52,000, which was later raised to $70,000. Both were terminated from their positions by August 31, 2022.
In December 2024, Fernandes Anderson was arrested and indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. Prosecutors allege that she orchestrated a scheme in which she awarded a $13,000 bonus to a relative-staffer, who then returned $7,000 to her in cash. The exchange reportedly took place in a City Hall bathroom. The funds were allegedly intended to help her pay the earlier ethics fine and cover personal financial obligations.
Further reported by Justice.gov:
Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson has been indicted by a federal grand jury for an alleged kickback scheme to obtain thousands of dollars in cash from a staff member in exchange for a large bonus. Tania Fernandes Anderson, 45, of Boston, was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. Fernandes Anderson was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 2:15 p.m. today.
In April 2025, Fernandes Anderson agreed to plead guilty to one count each of wire fraud and theft involving federal funds. As part of the plea deal, four additional wire fraud charges were dropped. Prosecutors have recommended a sentence of one year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and restitution of $13,000.
Following the charges, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu and several City Council members called for Fernandes Anderson’s resignation, citing the erosion of public trust. A poll conducted by Boston.com revealed that 94% of respondents believed she should resign. Fernandes Anderson has announced her intention to resign, which would trigger a special election if completed before May 8, 2025.
Fernandes Anderson made history as the first African immigrant and Muslim American elected to the Boston City Council in 2021. Her legal troubles mark a significant fall from grace for a once-prominent figure in Boston politics.
Things didn’t get much better for Fernandes Anderson. She was eventually seen taking furniture out of an office and it’s not clear if the furniture was hers or she was just taking it.
Tania Fernandes Anderson is affiliated with the Democratic Party. She was elected to the Boston City Council in 2021 as a Democrat representing District 7, which includes Roxbury, Dorchester, and parts of the South End