Indicted Boston City Councilor case evidence includes database of more than 1 million files, feds say

Flint McColgan, Boston Herald on Dec 18, 2024

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BOSTON — Federal prosecutors in the kickback case of Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson say they have so much evidence to process — including a database of more than a million files — that they are seeking an “alternative schedule” to release it to the defense.

“The government has started preparing to produce discovery and will expedite the production as much as possible. However, given the volume of discovery in this case, including an electronic database containing more than one million files, more time is needed for the completion of automatic discovery,” prosecutors wrote in the motion filed Wednesday.

The motion notes the request was assented to by Fernandes Anderson’s defense team.

The government proposes that it begins sharing discovery, or evidence, with the defense on an “alternative schedule” beginning on Jan. 3 and continuing on a rolling basis through the end of the month.

“The government will promptly confer with the defendant and counsel and seek modification of the alternative discovery schedule by the Court should complexity and volume of discovery so require,” the motion states.

Tania Fernandes Anderson was arrested at her Dorchester home at around 6 a.m. on Dec. 6 and hauled into federal court in Boston to be charged with five counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud and one count of aiding and abetting theft concerning a program receiving federal funds.

Fernandes Anderson is accused of hiring a relative to her staff and giving this staff member a generous bonus of $13,000 — but under the secret condition that $7,000 tax-free of that bonus be kicked back to her. The feds say the cash was handed over in a City Hall bathroom.

She was released following her arraignment on the conditions that she submit to supervision by federal probation officers, surrender her passport, not travel outside of Massachusetts, have no contact with any witnesses in the case and not use marijuana. Additionally, the conditions of release sheet filed in her case notes that Fernandes Anderson’s son “must remove his firearm and ammunition from the home.”

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