She’s grabbing every little thing that’s not nailed down.
Newly surfaced video reveals Boston Metropolis Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson transferring furnishings and a rolled-up rug out of Metropolis Corridor weeks earlier than she introduced plans to plead responsible to federal expenses in reference to a kickback scheme.
Fernandes Anderson, 46, could possibly be seen on surveillance footage from March 2 eradicating chairs, a settee, giant plastic baggage and the rug from her workplace with the assistance of two others, in accordance with WCVB-TV, which obtained the video.
The next day, a U-Haul cost of $67.12 appeared on Fernandes Anderson’s marketing campaign finance report, the outlet reported.
On April 8, prosecutors introduced that Fernandes Anderson would formally cop to at least one depend of wire fraud and one depend of theft regarding a program receiving federal funds.
Her plea listening to is scheduled for Might 5.
It was unclear whether or not the councilwoman had already labored out a plea settlement with the feds on the time of her March workplace clearout.
Prosecutors are asking that Fernandes Anderson, who has represented Boston’s Roxbury and Dorchester neighborhoods since 2022, be sentenced to at least one yr in jail and three years of supervised launch, in addition to made to pay $13,000 in restitution.
Fernandes Anderson, the primary working towards Muslim elected to the Boston Metropolis Council, was indicted on federal expenses in December. Prosecutors say that in Might 2023, she organized for a staffer — who was additionally her relative — to obtain a $13,000 bonus, $7,000 of which Fernandes Anderson collected.
The quantity — given below the guise of fee for prior volunteer work — was greater than double the full in bonuses paid out to remainder of the councilwoman’s workers mixed, the feds say.
In July 2023, Fernandes Anderson was ordered to pay a $5,000 penalty for violating battle of curiosity legal guidelines by hiring her sister and her son as workers members.
Prosecutors stated the councilwoman deliberate to repay the high quality with the cash she acquired from her different relative’s bonus.
When Fernandes Anderson employed the opposite relative in November 2022, she lied in an electronic mail to a metropolis worker claiming she and the brand new rent — who was not a part of her fast household — weren’t associated in any respect, the feds declare.
After receiving the bonus verify, the relative made three separate withdrawals between Might 31 and June 9, 2023, earlier than handing over the money to Fernandes Anderson in a Metropolis Corridor rest room.
Fernandes Anderson then compounded the crime when she didn’t report the $7,000 kick-back on her taxes, prosecutors say. The councilwoman additionally didn’t report $11,000 in revenue on her 2021 tax type and omitted marketing campaign funds that she used “for her own personal enrichment” on the 2022 and 2023 tax varieties, in accordance with a Justice Division assertion.
The councilwoman was initially indicted on 5 counts of wire fraud and one depend of theft from a program receiving federal funds. She confronted a most of 110 years in jail if convicted of all expenses at trial.
Along with pleading responsible, Fernandes Anderson stated she would resign from the Boston Metropolis Council, although she has not but executed so.
A particular election will probably be held to fill Fernandes Anderson’s seat if she resigns earlier than Might 8. If she stays on previous that date, her alternative will probably be chosen within the November election.
A lawyer for Fernandes Anderson didn’t instantly return a request for remark Friday morning.
