Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson on Friday pleaded not guilty to serious federal charges that prompted calls for her resignation from Mayor Michelle Wu and other city councilors.
After days of rumors about a reported federal probe, Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson has been arrested on public corruption charges.
The 11-page indictment says she faces six counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud in connection with the use of federal money through her role on the city council. Additional details about her arrest are expected to be released at a 9:30 a.m. press conference being held by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI.
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Fernandes had issued a statement Wednesday addressing the talk of a federal investigation.
Federal investigators allege that in late 2022, Fernandes Anderson hired a relative to her staff, despite rules prohibiting the hiring of immediate family members. The pair made a deal that Fernandes Anderson would award the staffer a bonus and they would then pay back a portion of that bonus to Fernandes Anderson as a kickback.
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According to the indictment, Fernandes Anderson lied about being related to the staffer when the hire was made, and later failed to disclose the kickback arrangement, claiming the large bonus awarded to the staffer was to pay them for previous volunteer work.
You can read the full indictment below:
