FBI agents arrested Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson Friday morning on public corruption charges. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI and IRS said at a Friday morning press conference that Fernandes Anderson was arrested at her home around 6 a.m.,” NBC10 Boston stated. According to an unsealed indictment, Fernandes Anderson is accused of “aiding and abetting wire fraud in connection with the use of federal money through her role on the city council.” “The charges stem from an alleged kickback scheme she orchestrated to obtain several thousand dollars in taxpayer money in exchange for bribes paid,” U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said at a press conference, according to NBC10 Boston. #BREAKING: #FBI Boston special agents have arrested a Boston City Councilor on federal public corruption charges. Details to follow at a 9:30 a.m. news conference at the federal courthouse in Boston. — FBI Boston (@FBIBoston) December 6, 2024 NBC10 Boston reports: 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. 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. The bonus awarded was $13,000, investigators say, significantly more than the bonus awarded to any other member of the staff. Investigators said the staffer then paid Fernandes Anderson $7,000 in cash, which was exchanged in a City Hall bathroom. “When they met in that bathroom, Ms. Fernandes Anderson put $7,000 in her pocket,” Levy said. “All of that money was funded by the taxpayers of Boston.” WATCH: EXCLUSIVE: 5 Investigates was outside the Dorchester home of Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson when she was arrested early Friday by FBI agents. https://t.co/4CpDmjL3cS …#Boston #CityCouncil #FBI #Arrest #Dorchester pic.twitter.com/z0Wkdat9MA — WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) December 6, 2024 WATCH: BREAKING UPDATE: FBI arrests Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, a Democrat, on public corruption charges. Anderson is facing five counts of wire fraud and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. https://t.co/4ltsfB2SOa pic.twitter.com/oy3PbL6qkn — I Meme Therefore I Am (@ImMeme0) December 6, 2024 Per WCVB: Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, 45, represents District 7 in Boston, which includes Roxbury, Dorchester, Fenway and part of the South End. 5 Investigates was outside her Dorchester home Friday when FBI agents placed her under arrest at about 6 a.m. According to court documents, Fernandes Anderson faces five federal counts of wire fraud and one federal count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. “These six felony charges stem from an alleged kickback scheme that she orchestrated to obtain several thousand dollars in taxpayer money in exchange for a bribe she paid to a staffer who she gave a very large bonus,” U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said. Fernandes Anderson is expected to appear in federal court Friday afternoon. WATCH: