Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson has agreed to plead guilty to federal corruption charges related to a kickback scheme involving taxpayer funds.
According to a statement on Tuesday, April 9, 2025, from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, Anderson, 46, is expected to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds.
In exchange, prosecutors have agreed to drop four additional wire fraud charges. The plea agreement follows allegations that the councilwoman orchestrated a scheme to funnel a $13,000 inflated bonus to a family member — and then took $7,000 of that payment back in a clandestine exchange inside City Hall.
Anderson, who made history in 2021 as the first African immigrant and Muslim American elected to the Boston City Council, has agreed to resign from her position, Council President Ruthzee Louijeune confirmed.
“Our residents look to elected officials to lead with integrity, and the Boston City Council must continue to do just that,” Louijeune said. “I am coordinating with counsel and staff to ensure that the rule of law and the rules of the body are executed effectively as we continue to receive information.”
The Scheme: Bathroom Cash Exchange and Bonus Manipulation
Prosecutors allege that Anderson devised a plan to route public funds back to herself while facing financial hardship in 2023 — partly due to a $5,000 fine by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission for hiring immediate family members.
According to the indictment, she awarded a $13,000 bonus to a relative on her staff, far exceeding any bonuses given to other employees. After taxes, the relative took home approximately $10,000.
In a series of coordinated bank withdrawals, the staffer retrieved the funds and later exchanged text messages to meet Anderson in a City Hall bathroom on June 9, 2023. There, the staffer handed over $7,000 of the bonus — in cash — to the councilor.
Potential Sentence and Legal Fallout
The U.S. government is recommending a sentence of one year and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release and restitution of $13,000. Although Anderson could have faced up to 20 years in prison for each fraud charge and 10 years for the theft charge, her plea deal dramatically reduces the potential penalties.
Despite widespread calls to step down, Anderson previously resisted resignation, saying she would continue to “fight” for her constituents. Her attorney did not respond to requests for comment.
