Massachusetts mayor arrested for allegedly ripping off $1.5M in COVID funds

Brian DePeña, the Mayor of Lawrence, was arrested and charged on Aug. 14, 2026, in connection with the alleged fraud that authorities said amounted to over $1.5 million of Covid-19 relief money that was used for personal purposes.

Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena, 61, was charged with wire fraud and money laundering over $1.5 million in COVID loans for small businesses.

Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena is accused of using the loan to fund his campaign and pay personal taxes

Mayor Brian DePena of Lawrence, Massachusetts, was arrested Friday on federal charges that he fraudulently obtained more than $1.5 million in COVID-19 small-business loans and diverted the money to his political campaign and personal debts. DePena, 61, was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money lau

Massachusetts mayor accused of using a pandemic loan to fund election campaign and pay his taxes  AP News

Brian DePena allegedly funneled over $1.5 million in EIDL loan funds into his campaign account, personal taxes, and real estate debts, federal charges say.

A Massachusetts mayor was arrested Friday and charged with fraudulently obtaining a pandemic loan and using the money to fund his election campaign as well as pay off high-interest mortgages on several of his properties and personal taxes.

A Massachusetts mayor has been arrested and charged with fraudulently obtaining pandemic loans

A foreign-born Massachusetts mayor was arrested Friday for stealing COVID relief funds to fund his campaign and pay off personal debt.  The FBI arrested Lawrence Democratic Mayor Brian DePena, 61, for allegedly funneling $1.5 million in COVID funds to fund his campaign, pay taxes, and pay down $880,000 on various prope