Boston City Councilor and former illegal immigrant Tania Fernandes Anderson arrested on federal fraud charges

12/11/2024 / By Ava Grace

Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, a former illegal immigrant, was arrested on Dec. 6 and indicted on six felony counts, including aiding and abetting wire fraud and theft from federally funded programs, related to an alleged kickback scheme.
Fernandes Anderson, who became a U.S. citizen in 2019, made history as Boston’s first Muslim, African immigrant and former illegal immigrant city councilor. She represents a diverse, low-income district and has been a key figure in the city’s progressive politics.
The charges stem from an alleged bribe paid to a staff member to access public funds, amounting to several thousand dollars in taxpayer money. Investigators claim Fernandes Anderson hired a relative and orchestrated a kickback scheme involving around $10,000 in cash.
Court documents reveal Fernandes Anderson faced financial difficulties in 2023, including overdraft fees and struggles with car and rent payments, which are believed to have contributed to the alleged fraud.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu urged Fernandes Anderson to resign, stating the charges undermine public trust.

Boston City Councilor and former illegal immigrant Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested on Friday, Dec. 6, and indicted on six felony counts related to allegations of fraud and theft from federally funded programs.

Fernandes Anderson, a prominent figure in the city’s political landscape, is an illegal immigrant from the West African island nation of Cape Verde. She only became an American citizen in 2019, and in the 2021 Boston City Council election she became the city’s first Muslim, first African immigrant and first former illegal immigrant to serve on the council. She was reelected in 2023.

The councilor represents a district encompassing Roxbury, Dorchester and the South End. Her district is one of the poorest and most diverse in the city and she has become a prominent figure in the city’s political landscape and a key figure in the city’s progressive political pursuits.

The charges against her stem from an alleged kickback scheme involving a staff member that resulted in the illicit acquisition of several thousand dollars in taxpayer money, according to the United States Attorney’s Office.

Fernandes Anderson, 45, was indicted on five counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting theft from programs receiving federal funds.

U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy detailed the charges during a news conference, stating that the scheme involved Fernandes Anderson allegedly paying a bribe to a staff member in exchange for accessing public funds.

Levy emphasized the gravity of the allegations, noting, “Public officials who line their pockets with taxpayer money erode the trust and confidence of the public in the officials who serve them.”

Levy described the alleged conduct as “egregious,” particularly because the alleged fraud occurred within the building where Fernandes Anderson works. He declined to comment on whether the staff member involved in the scheme would face charges.

The indictment also includes a request that, should Fernandes Anderson be convicted, she must forfeit all funds defrauded from the government.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, a fellow Democrat, issued a statement urging Fernandes Anderson to resign. “The serious nature of these charges undermine the public trust and will prevent her from effectively serving the city,” Wu said. (Related: Progressive Boston mayor pushing for decriminalization of criminal offenses like shoplifting, trespassing and destruction of property.)

Fernandes Anderson experienced financial difficulties in 2023

Court documents reveal that Fernandes Anderson was experiencing financial difficulties in 2023, which included bank overdraft fees and challenges in meeting car and rent payments. These financial pressures are believed to have contributed to the alleged scheme. Early Friday morning, federal agents took Fernandes Anderson into custody.

According to the indictment, Fernandes Anderson hired a relative as a staff member and falsely denied the familial relationship in an email to the city. She then awarded the relative a bonus for previous volunteer work, amounting to approximately $10,000 after taxes and fees.

This bonus was more than twice the combined total of bonuses given to all other staff members. Investigators claim that Fernandes Anderson expected a portion of this bonus to be returned to her, and text messages included in court documents show that the staff member handed over $7,000 in cash to Fernandes Anderson in a bathroom at Boston City Hall in early June.

This is not the first time the councilor has faced scrutiny over her hiring practices. In 2022, she admitted to hiring her sister and son as staff members, a violation of city policy, and was fined $5,000 by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission.

Despite this, Fernandes Anderson continued to involve family members in her operations, including the creation of the kickback scheme.

Fernandes Anderson is the first Boston city councilor to be federally indicted since 2008. She has not responded to requests for comment, and her attorney declined to comment on the case.

Watch this clip from the “WorldView Tube” featuring an interview of a Boston resident discussing government funding of illegal immigration.

This video is from the WorldView Tube channel on Brighteon.com.