A Boston city councillor has been arrested on federal fraud charges, accused of orchestrating a cash-for-bonus scheme in a City Hall bathroom. Tania Fernandes Anderson, 45, was taken into custody outside her home on Friday and faces five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft from a programme receiving federal funds.
Prosecutors allege that in 2023, Anderson hired a family member for a constituent services role despite being under investigation by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission for hiring relatives. She then inflated the staffer's bonus to $13,000, more than double the total bonuses paid to other staff, and demanded $7,000 be returned in cash.
The staffer received around $10,000 after tax, withdrew the money in several transactions, and handed over $7,000 to Anderson in a City Hall bathroom on 9 June 2023, according to acting US Attorney Joshua Levy. Anderson pleaded not guilty and was released.
Anderson, the first African immigrant and first Muslim elected to the council in 2021, was facing financial difficulties partly due to a potential $5,000 fine from the ethics commission. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu has called for her resignation, stating the charges undermine public trust.
