Shameless politician filmed taking FURNITURE from office after being caught taking bribes

A lawmaker who admitted stealing public funds was caught on camera removing furniture from her office just weeks before entering her guilty plea.

Surveillance footage obtained by WCVB showed disgraced Democrat lawmaker Tania Fernandes Anderson hauling the goods out of Boston City Hall.

Fernandes Anderson was arrested and charged last year for orchestrating ‘a complicated kickback scheme’ to steal city funds through a family member on her pay roll.

The former council member was accused of pocketing $7,000 of public funds as part of the scam. 

Now video has emerged showing the Fernandes Anderson removing a rolled up rug, chair and other items with help from two associates. 

A U-Haul charge for $67.12 was also posted to her campaign finance report the day after the furniture was removed. 

It is unclear if the items removed originally belonged to Fernendes Anderson.  

Fernandes Anderson agreed to plead guilty to federal corruption charges after prosecutors accused her of taking most of an inflated bonus that she paid to a relative who worked for her.

She pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and theft concerning a program receiving federal funds, the US attorney’s office said in a statement.

Disgraced lawmaker Tania Fernandes Anderson, who admitted stealing public funds, was caught on camera removing furniture from her office just weeks before entering her guilty plea

Fernandes Anderson was arrested and charged last year for orchestrating ‘a complicated kickback scheme’ to steal city funds through a family member on her pay roll

 In exchange, prosecutors dropped four wire fraud counts against the lawmaker, who in 2021 became the first African immigrant and Muslim American elected to the council.

Fernandes Anderson initially refused calls to resign but agreed to step down as part of the plea deal.

However, she is yet to formally rescind her position although was not in attendance of a council meeting yesterday.

If she resigns before May 8, a special election will be triggered. Otherwise the position will be filled in the next Fall election cycle. 

The shamed lawmaker was going through financial difficulties when she carried out the scheme in 2023, prosecutors said.

She was facing a $5,000 fine from the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission for hiring an immediate family member in contravention of the city council’s rules.

According to prosecutors, she told her relative that she would give her a $13,000 bonus, which was more than twice as much as the combined bonuses she gave to the rest of the staff.

After taxes, the staffer received about $10,000. She withdrew the money in several bank transactions in May and June of 2023 before exchanging texts to meet Fernandes Anderson in a City Hall bathroom that June 9, where she gave Fernandes Anderson $7,000 of the money.

A U-Haul charge for $67.12 was also posted to her campaign finance report the day after the furniture was removed

She agreed to take a plea deal which would also see her step down from her position, but she is yet to formally resign

The government is recommending a sentence of one year and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $13,000. 

Fernandes Anderson could have faced up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each of the fraud charges. The theft count carried a penalty of up to 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

In a statement after she was charged, Anderson only said she would continue ‘fight’ for her constituents. 

‘I’m not just a mom to two boys, as you know, I have actually four sons, with my stepsons. I’m soon to be a grandma,’ she told NBC10 when discussing her resignation.

 ‘How do I do the right thing to ensure that my family is safe, is stable?’

DailyMaill.com has contacted Fernandes Anderson for comment.