Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña Charged with Fraud and Money Laundering
The mayor faces charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and COVID relief fraud; the case is at the charging stage and has not been resolved.
2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 28, 2026, 8:22 a.m. ET
Earlier reports
Aug 28, 2026, 8:22 a.m. ETFirst report
Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña Charged with Fraud and Money Laundering
Brian DePeña, the mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts, has been charged with wire fraud, money laundering, and COVID relief fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts, as reported by NBC Boston. The charges were announced on August 27, 2026.
The government alleges that DePeña fraudulently obtained a $1.5 million COVID-19 small-business loan for his tire business and used the funds to pay off mortgages, fund his campaign, and pay personal taxes, NBC Boston reported. The FBI is investigating the case.
DePeña faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 for wire fraud, and up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 for money laundering, according to NBC Boston. The case is at the charging stage and has not been resolved; DePeña is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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Revision history
- Version 128 Aug 2026, 12:22current
First published.
- Version 128 Aug 2026, 12:22current
First published.
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