Boston City Council member is arrested on fraud and theft charges

BOSTON (AP) — A Boston city councilor was arrested Friday on federal fraud charges, accused of funneling part of an inflated bonus payment to a staffer to whom she was related into her own pockets during an exchange at a City Hall bathroom, the U.S. attorney's office said.

Tania Fernandes Anderson, 45, who was facing financial problems, was arrested outside her home on five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft from a program receiving federal funds, acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said.

Anderson, wearing a red winter jacket, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released. A grand jury indicted her this week.

Anderson was facing financial difficulties in 2023, partly because the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission told her it would seek a $5,000 fine from her for hiring immediate family members to work in her office, Levy said. Council members are not permitted to hire immediate family members as paid staff.

“Despite the fact that she was under investigation by the state ethics commission, Ms. Fernandes Anderson hired another family member on her staff at Boston City Hall to handle constituent services,” Levy said. “That staff member was related to her, but Ms. Fernandes Anderson falsely represented to City Hall that there was no familial relationship.”

She went on to tell the staffer, a woman, that she would give her a $13,000 bonus, more than twice as much as she was paying to the rest of the staff combined in bonuses, Levy said.

“That supersized bonus came with a hitch,” Levy said, with the staffer being told they had to “fork over $7,000 in cash back” to her. The staffer, referred to as “staff member A” in the indictment, agreed, Levy said.

After taxes, the staffer received about $10,000 in her bank account. She withdrew the money in several transactions in May and June of 2023 before exchanging texts to meet at the City Hall bathroom that June 9, Levy said. The staffer gave her $7,000, he said.

Each of the five wire fraud charges carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The theft count carries a penalty of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

In a statement to her constituents Wednesday, Anderson said, “You know that I am always transparent with you and always available. My job is to show up and fight for you, and I will continue to do just that.”

Anderson became the first African immigrant and first Muslim elected to the council in November 2021. She was reelected in 2023.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu urged Anderson to resign, saying the charges “undermine the public trust and will prevent her from effectively serving the city.”

Boston City Council member Tania Fernandes Anderson leaves federal court in Boston after pleading not guilty to five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 in Boston. (AP Photo/Steve LeBlanc)

Boston City Council member Tania Fernandes Anderson leaves federal court in Boston after pleading not guilty to five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 in Boston. (AP Photo/Steve LeBlanc)

Boston City Council member Tania Fernandes Anderson leaves federal court in Boston after pleading not guilty to five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 in Boston. (AP Photo/Steve LeBlanc)

Boston City Council member Tania Fernandes Anderson leaves federal court in Boston after pleading not guilty to five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024 in Boston. (AP Photo/Steve LeBlanc)

NEW YORK (AP) — Berkly Catton scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period, and the Seattle Kraken rallied from two goals down and beat the New York Rangers 4-2 on Monday night.

Eeli Tolvanen, Jordan Eberle and Jared McCann also scored for the Kraken, and Philipp Grubauer had 19 saves. Seattle won for the ninth time in 12 games (9-1-2).

Mika Zibanejad and Sam Carrick scored for the Rangers, and Jonathan Quick finished with 25 saves. New York lost for the seventh time in eight games (1-5-2) and fell to 5-12-4 at Madison Square Garden this season.

Catton gave the Kraken a 3-2 lead with 7:58 left in the third, knocking in a loose puck after his initial attempt was stopped by the right pad of a sprawled Quick down on the ice.

McCann added an empty-netter with 10 seconds remaining to seal the win.

Trailing 2-0 after 20 minutes, the Kraken tied it with two goals in the first 4 1/2 minutes of the second period.

Frederick Gaudreau sent a backhand pass from the left side near the boards to Tolvanen in front, and settled the puck and beat Quick at the 1-minute mark.

Eberle tied it at 4:27 as he fired it past Quick from the high slot for his 16th of the season

Zibanejad scored for the Rangers 3:08 into the game. Grubauer deflected Zibanejad's initial shot wide and off the end board, and Zibanejad followed it and sent the rebound from behind the goal line back off the goalie and in for his 18th.

Carrick made it 2-0 less than 2 1/2 minutes later. After a turnover by the Kraken in the neutral zone back across the blue line, Carrick got the puck, skated into the left circle and beat Grubauer low on the blocker side.

Kraken: At New Jersey on Wednesday night in the third of a five-game trip.

Rangers: Host Ottawa on Wednesday night to finish a two-game homestand.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/NHL

Seattle Kraken's Cale Fleury (8) celebrates after his goal against the Vancouver Canucks with teammate Shane Wright (51) during the first period of an NHL game in Vancouver, British Columbia, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (Ethan Cairns/The Canadian Press via AP)