- Public Corruption
- Nov 5, 2026
Mayor ARRESTED By FBI Over $1.5M COVID Loans & Now Faces 30 Charges But REFUSES To Resign
BI agents arrested the sitting mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts at his home at 6 a.m. Prosecutors say he took more than $1.5 million in COVID disaster loans meant for struggling small businesses. Then the state charged him again, this time over a hidden recording system inside his City Hall office.
A tire shop’s disaster loan that grew from $150,000 to more than $1.6 million $350,000 landing in an account that held $20.23 the day before Checks to “The Committee to Elect Brian DePeña” weeks before he won the election $883,000 used to pay off his own high-interest mortgages A state representative from the same city arrested two weeks later 14 wiretapping charges, a no-confidence vote, a recall drive, and a mayor who says he isn’t leaving
Presumption of innocence
All officials named are charged, not convicted, and presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Sources
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, FBI Boston, IRS Criminal Investigation, Massachusetts Attorney General, WBZ CBS News Boston, NBC10 Boston, WCVB, Boston 25 News, WBUR.
