Lawrence, Massachusetts Mayor Brian DePeña was taken into custody by FBI agents early Friday morning at his home and charged with wire fraud and money laundering.
Federal prosecutors allege the 61-year-old mayor fraudulently obtained more than $1.5 million in COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans through his tire business, Tenares Tire Service Inc. According to the complaint, DePeña then used the funds for personal and political purposes, including:
- Financing his mayoral campaign
- Paying personal tax debts to the IRS
- Paying off more than $880,000 in high-interest mortgages on properties he owned in Lawrence
Investigators say the loans, which were intended to help small businesses survive the pandemic, were treated instead as a personal source of cash. DePeña was first elected mayor in 2021 and won re-election in 2025. Before that, he served on the Lawrence City Council from 2016 to 2021.
Born in the Dominican Republic, DePeña later became a naturalized U.S. citizen and built a long career in Lawrence as both a businessman and politician.
He made his initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Friday. The case remains ongoing.
Crime Vault Magazine will continue to follow developments.
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