A top Democrat official in the blue city of Boston, Massachusetts, has been arrested by the FBI. She has since been hit with multiple public corruption charges.
The FBI had been investigating Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson for months. On Friday morning, FBI agents and other authorities were seen outside of her home in Dorchester as she was arrested.
Fernandes Anderson is now facing five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. Meanwhile, Boston’s liberal Mayor Michelle Wu has already turned on Fernandes Anderson and is calling on her to resign.
From Fox News:
Federal prosecutors allege that in late 2022, Fernandes Anderson hired a staff member that was related to her and then defrauded the city by proposing an arrangement in which the person would receive “additional compensation but would kickback most of this bonus pay.”“From in or about early to mid-2023, Fernandes Anderson was facing personal financial difficulty, which included missing monthly rent and car payments, an impending $5,000 civil penalty from the Ethics Commission, and incurring bank overdraft fees, which resulted in Fernandes Anderson maintaining low daily bank balances,” read the filing, which was obtained by the Boston Globe.
“On or about June 9, 2023, at approximately 4:11 p.m., Staff Member A texted Fernandes Anderson, “Bathroom” to let Fernandes Anderson know that Staff Member A was waiting in the bathroom to hand the $7,000 cash to Fernandes Anderson,” the court document continued. “Within seconds, Fernandes Anderson texted Staff Member A, “Ready” to confirm that Fernandes Anderson was ready to accept the $7,000 cash kickback from Staff Member A. Shortly following these texts, Staff Member A handed Fernandes Anderson approximately $7,000 in cash at a bathroom in City Hall.”
The filing later said that Boston City Councilors were not allowed to hire immediate family members as paid staffers. Despite this, Fernandes Anderson hired two family members to her staff in 2022. She then fired these individuals after being informed by the Ethics Commission of a $5,000 fine relating to that incident.
Fernandes Anderson Slammed For Her Behavior
Fernandes Anderson’s campaign was recently informed by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance that she had made contributions to the legal limit. She also allegedly didn’t file deposit information in a timely manner.
“Her behavior, as alleged in today’s indictment, is a slap in the face to the hardworking taxpayers in the city of Boston who have every right to expect that the city’s funds are in good and honest hands,” Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen said in a statement. “This case illustrates how the FBI, and our partners, are working hard every day to battle public corruption and the corrosive damage it does to people’s faith in government.”
Mayor Wu wasted no time in turning on Fernandes Anderson.
“Like any member of the community, Councilor Fernandes Anderson has the right to a fair legal process,” Wu said. “But the serious nature of these charges undermines the public trust and will prevent her from effectively serving the city. I urge Councilor Fernandes Anderson to resign.”
Fernandes Anderson was election to the Boston City Council on November 2, 2021, representing District 7. Her district includes the Boston neighborhoods of Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway and a portion of the South End. When she was elected, Fernandes Anderson made history as the “first African immigrant and Muslim-American elected to the Boston City Council,” according to her official bio.
At the time of this writing, Fernandes Anderson has yet to comment on her arrest. In the end, it seems that another corrupt Democrat has bit the dust!
Key Takeaways:
- The FBI has arrested a Boston Democrat official.
- Tania Fernandes Anderson is facing five counts of wire fraud.
- She’s also facing one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.
Sources: Fox News, Tania Fernandes Anderson Indictment
