Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested by FBI special agents in a kickback scheme where she allegedly pocketed thousands of dollars in cash from a staffer in exchange for a large bonus payment. The arrest took place outside her home in Dorchester on Friday morning. Fernandes Anderson is expected to appear in court later in the day.
The scheme began when the councilor hired a relative to her staff and devised a plan to receive extra compensation, of which she would kickback most of the bonus pay to herself. Court documents revealed that the larger bonus was initially justified as compensation for previous volunteer work.
Facing financial struggles, including missed rent and car payments, the councilor planned to use the money from the scheme to pay off a $5,000 fine from the city’s Ethics Commission. This arrest comes after a previous fine in 2002 for hiring family members on staff, a violation of Boston City Council rules.
The FBI alleges that Fernandes Anderson’s behavior is a betrayal of the trust of her constituents and a violation of her fiduciary duty as a public servant. Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen expressed disappointment in her alleged actions, stating that elected officials have a duty to serve with integrity. Fernandes Anderson, the first African immigrant and Muslim-American elected to the Boston City Council, represents a district that includes Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway, and a portion of the South End.
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