Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, who was arrested for federal public corruption last year, has accepted a plea deal, the UK Daily Mail reported. The Democratic politician known for her brashness gave interviews only to two favorable news outlets to announce her resignation.
Fernandes Anderson was implicated in a "complicated kickback scheme" that netted her some $7,000. She funneled a $13,000 inflated bonus from city funds to a relative who works as a staff member for her.
Prosecutors say Fernandes Anderson took the majority of that bonus. She has agreed to plead guilty to one count of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds and another count of wire fraud.
By accepting the deal, Fernandes Anderson avoided four additional charges of wire fraud that each carried a possible 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. This puts an end to a fraught stint in government, which began in 2021 when she was elected as the first Muslim and African immigrant to serve on the city council.
At first, Fernandes Anderson refused to resign after she was arrested for the scheme in December 2024 and wouldn't speak to the media except those who were gentle with her. This week, she told Boston Magazine in an exclusive that she would be stepping down.
The news outlet did not disappoint in glowing coverage of the politician accused of corruption. It ran a piece, "The Rise and Fall of Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson," published on Wednesday that attempted to spin her legal woes in the most favorably.
"From raising her siblings to serving her district to handing out city jobs to loved ones, the city's first African immigrant councilor built her life around helping others at any cost. And that, it turned out, was precisely the problem," the subheading explained.
Meanwhile, Fernandes Anderson also spoke to NBC10 for more gentle treatment. "I'm not just a mom to two boys, as you know, I have actually four sons, with my stepsons. I'm soon to be a grandma," Fernandes Anderson told the news outlet.
"How do I do the right thing to ensure that my family is safe, is stable?" Fernandes Anderson added. This was the same news outlet she let exclusively follow her into her government office after her arrest.
Regardless of the type of media coverage she receives, the Boston Globe reported that her constituents are not happy with Fernandes Anderson's antics. For 59-year-old Carmen Thomas-Jones, the arrest was an eye-opening experience.
“You’re here to serve the people, not serve your purpose. To get a kickback from somebody? No, that’s not how we do things, and it’s a bad representation of the Black community. ... I’m very appalled at her behavior," Thomas-Jones said.
Another Bostonian, 56-year-old Marijke Simmons, was "disappointed" in Fernandes Anderson. "I don’t like thieves, period. That’s what it comes down to. ... [I’m] very disappointed," Simmons said.
Her alleged crimes were by no means the first time Fernandes Anderson embarrassed her constituents. A 2022 obscenity-laced race-baiting rant went viral on social media when she said during official proceedings, "What the f--- do I have to do in this f---ing council in order to get respect as a Black woman?"
Fernandes Anderson has the presumption of innocence under American law, including for this alleged corruption. However, the accusations are serious and would undermine her integrity if they prove to be true, and Bostonians won't be pleased.
