Tag: thieves

BWBB – Boston City Councilor Arrested on Corruption Charges Last Year Pleads Guilty, Will Resign

Last December, we told you about Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, who was arrested on federal charges of corruption in a ‘kickback’ scheme. She was defiant at the time but now she has apologized and announced her plans to resign.

Fernandes Anderson has pleaded guilty to a count of wire fraud and theft.

NBC News in Boston reports:

‘Forgive me’: Boston city councilor pleading guilty over kickback scheme, resigning

Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson is set to plead guilty in her federal corruption case, she confirmed Tuesday, and said she’s resigning…

Fernandes Anderson had faced calls to step down in light of the five counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud and one of aiding and abetting theft concerning programs receiving federal funds she was initially charged with. She was arrested on suspicion of funneling part of an inflated bonus payment through a relative of hers on her staff into her own pockets during an exchange at a City Hall bathroom.

The 46-year-old, who represents Dorchester, Roxbury, Fenway and parts of the South End, is pleading guilty to a count each of wire fraud and theft involving federal funds, according to a copy of the plea agreement shared by prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Massachusetts. Four counts are being dropped.

Prosecutors are recommending that she serve a year and one day in prison, with three years of probation. They also recommended that she pay $13,000 in restitution.

The report includes her full statement on the matter:

I have decided to plead guilty and resolve the case brought against me. I would like to apologize to my constituents, supporters, and all who have been impacted.

Boston City Councilor Arrested on Corruption Charges Last Year Pleads Guilty, Will Resign

DOGE Discovers Massive Loan Scheme for Pre-Teen Children

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, uncovered that the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued approximately 5,600 loans totaling $312 million to borrowers listed as 11 years old or younger during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, as reported by Fox News.

DOGE’s investigation revealed potential fraud, noting that many of these loans used Social Security Numbers (SSNs) that did not match the names of the listed borrowers, raising questions about the SBA’s verification processes, according to the same Fox News article.

This discovery follows DOGE’s broader mission, established under President Donald Trump’s administration in January 2025, to root out waste, fraud, and corruption in federal spending

The loans in question were part of Covid-19 relief programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which disbursed over $1 trillion to support small businesses but faced widespread fraud issues, according to a 2023 GAO report.

Earlier in 2025, DOGE also identified $333 million in loans issued to borrowers over 115 years old, some as old as 157, highlighting ongoing discrepancies in SBA loan disbursements.

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