District 7 Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested Friday morning on federal public corruption charges relating to an alleged 2023 kickback scheme where Fernandes Anderson pocketed $7,000 in city funds.
Fernandes Anderson, 45, is charged with five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, according to the indictment.
The indictment alleges that Fernandes Anderson hired a relative in December 2022 and gave them a large bonus with a stipulation: more than half of the bonus would need to be given back to Fernandes Anderson. In June 2023, Fernandes Anderson and the staffer met in a bathroom in Boston City Hall to exchange more than $7,000 in cash.
Before Wednesday’s city council meeting, it was reported that Fernandes Anderson was under federal investigation. The councilor told reporters she would not resign as she walked into Boston City Hall on Wednesday.
“I’m not thinking about stepping down,” Fernandes Anderson told reporters. “I’m not thinking about any of that. I’m thinking about the work.”
Mayor Michelle Wu called for Fernandes Anderson to resign in a statement.
“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 [her] to resign.”
City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune echoed Wu’s sentiments, noting that Fernandes Anderson’s resignation would allow her legal process to unfold without causing “disruption” to the council.
“Given the severity of the allegations brought against her, and the direct impact that they have on residents’ ability to see the Boston City Council as their faithful stewards,” Louijeune continued, “it is in the best interest of the body that she resign.”
District 8 City Councilor Sharon Durkan, who represents the Fenway neighborhood alongside Fernandes Anderson, called for her “immediate” resignation.
“The people of Boston deserve leaders who act transparently, ethically, and in the best interests of the community,” Durkan said. “The allegations against Councilor Fernandes Anderson undermine the confidence of residents and tarnish the reputation of our city council.”
District 7 includes portions of Roxbury, Dorchester, the South End, and the Fenway neighborhood.
In 2019, Fernandes Anderson became a U.S. citizen and was first elected to the council in 2021. In 2023, she paid a $5,000 fine for violating a state ethics law after hiring immediate family members to her office staff. In November 2024, her campaign committee was flagged for violating campaign finance law by accepting contributions above the legal limit.
Fernandes Anderson appeared at the Moakley Federal Courthouse Friday afternoon where she pleaded not guilty to the charges. It is currently unclear whether she will resign.
Fernandes Anderson is the first Boston city councilor to be federally indicted since 2008 when former District 7 City Councilor Chuck Turner was indicted on extortion charges.
