‘Undermines public trust’: Boston Mayor Wu urges Councilor Fernandes Anderson to resign after arrest

BOSTON — Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested Friday morning on federal public corruption charges, prompting a swift reaction from other elected officials, including Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

After federal investigators announced that Fernandes Anderson was facing charges in connection with a scheme to “funnel taxpayer money into her own pocket,” Wu called for the embattled councilor to resign from her position.

“Like any member of the community, Councilor Fernandes Anderson has the right to a fair legal process,” Wu said in a statement shared with Boston 25 News. “But the serious nature of these charges undermines the public trust and will prevent her from effectively serving the city. I urge Councilor Fernandes Anderson to resign.”

Erin Murphy, Boston City Councilor At-Large, called the allegations against Fernandes Anderson “deeply disturbing.”

“The allegations against Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson are deeply disturbing. Elected officials are entrusted with representing the public honestly and ethically, not abusing their power for personal gain,” Murphy said in a statement shared with Boston 25 News. “Actions like these erode public trust and perpetuate the damaging belief that our City Council is unworthy of the confidence of those we serve.”

Fernandes Anderson, who represents Roxbury, Dorchester, and part of the South End, was charged with five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds in an 11-page federal indictment.

Murphy also said she hopes that Fernandes Anderson will be held “fully accountable” for her alleged actions.

“I firmly believe that any official who engages in criminal activity or unethical behavior must be held fully accountable. We are here to uplift and protect the people of Boston, not to exploit our positions for personal benefit,” Murphy added in the statement. “To betray this trust is to betray every resident who looks to us for leadership. The safety, integrity, and well-being of our community must always come first.”

Murphy continued, The people of Boston deserve leaders who exemplify the highest standards of honesty and respect. If these allegations are proven true, I expect swift and appropriate action to be taken to ensure that justice is served, and the integrity of our government is preserved.”

The indictment alleges that Fernandes Anderson launched a kickback scheme by hiring someone who was related to her but not an immediate family member in late 2022.

As part of the scheme, Fernandes Anderson allegedly agreed to pay the staffer a large bonus on the condition that part of it would be returned to her.

Fernandes Anderson accepted $7,000 in a cash kickback from that staffer during a meeting in a bathroom in Boston City Hall on June 9, 2023, text messages obtained by investigators showed.

In a post on X, the MassGOP blasted news of the allegations as “completely abhorrent,” adding that “Boston deserves so much better than this.”

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