Massachusetts Mayor Charged with Pandemic Loan Fraud and Money Laundering
Friday, August 14, 2026
BOSTON – The Mayor of Lawrence, Mass. was arrested and charged today with fraudulently obtaining over $1.5 million in COVID small-business loans and using the proceeds to fund his campaign account, pay personal taxes, and pay off over $880,000 in high-interest, hard-money mortgages that encumbered various properties he owned in Lawrence.
Brian Depena, 61, is charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Depena will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston later today. Depena was elected as Mayor of Lawrence in November 2021 and was reelected in November 2025. He previously served on the Lawrence City Council from 2016 until 2021.
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/massachusetts-mayor-charged-pandemic-loan-fraud-and-money-laundering
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/media/1457921/dl?inline