BOSTON — Former Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson reported to the Bureau of Prisons on Friday to begin serving a one-month federal sentence, according to court documents filed Thursday.
Fernandes Anderson, who pleaded guilty in May to wire fraud and theft concerning a federally funded program, also agreed to pay $13,000 in restitution and will serve three years of supervised release. Prosecutors had initially recommended a sentence of a year and a day.
The charges stemmed from what prosecutors described as a kickback scheme involving a family member she had hired onto her staff. In 2023, while facing financial difficulties, Fernandes Anderson arranged a $13,000 bonus for the relative with the understanding that $7,000 would be secretly returned to her. According to the indictment, the exchange took place in a City Hall bathroom.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani called the offenses “serious” and “heartbreaking,” noting that public trust had been violated. “Everybody gives their tax dollars to the government assuming it will be managed properly and used appropriately,” Talwani said at sentencing.
Fernandes Anderson, who resigned from the Boston City Council on July 4, told the court she felt “disgusted” by her actions and asked for forgiveness from her family and constituents.
“I can’t forgive myself for my behavior,” she said. “I feel like this will weigh on me for the rest of my life.”
Caught ,so sorry. Not caught, on it goes?