FBI arrests Democrat Boston City Councilor Tania Anderson on wire fraud and theft charges

The FBI arrested Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson (D) on allegations that she orchestrated a kickback scheme, stealing thousands of dollars in taxpayer money for herself. Tania Fernandes Anderson, 45, of Boston, was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. She was taken into custody on Friday, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.

Anderson, a Muslim Democrat and former illegal migrant, has been accused of hiring family members as salaried employee staffers and orchestrating a "bonus kickback scheme" in which she would give a relative extra pay in the form of a large bonus in exchange for the family member giving her a portion of the cash, court documents show.

Here's the moment woke BLM Muslim Boston City Council member Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested by the FBI. She's accused of stealing huge sums of taxpayer funds to enrich her family members and herself. She often rails against white supremacy. pic.twitter.com/RtmGfIAdBQ

— Andy Ngo 🏳️‍🌈 (@MrAndyNgo) December 6, 2024

Under Massachusetts state law, councilors are prohibited from hiring immediate family members to their paid staff. Anderson hired two immediate family members, in or around 2022, and was required to terminate their employment. She was fined $5,000 by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission in the spring of 2023, according to the indictment.