Boston City Councilor Indicted On Corruption Charges

BOSTON, MA — Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson is facing federal public corruption charges.

U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy will hold a press conference at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston regarding "the arrest of a Boston City Councilor on federal public corruption charges," according to a tweet from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Fernandes Anderson was indicted on five counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, according to the indictment.

Fernandes Anderson represents District 7, which includes Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway, and part of South End. She was elected to her first term in 2021 and reelected in 2023.

Fernandes Anderson hired two members of her immediate family as salaried employees of her staff despite regulations prohibiting such hires, according to the indictment. She was required to terminate their employment in August 2022, and the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission fined her $5,000.

The indictment also accuses Fernandes Anderson of arranging a kickback scheme where an employee related to her was provided bonus pay. The employee would then pay back a portion of the bonus to Fernandes Anderson as a kickback, according to the indictment.

She is also accused of misrepresenting to the City of Boston that the employee was not related to her.

This story will be updated.