Lawrence Mayor Brian Depena Charged with Pandemic Loan Fraud and Money Laundering
Federal authorities in Massachusetts have charged Lawrence Mayor Brian Depena in a developing case alleging the fraudulent acquisition of over $1.5 million in COVID-19 relief loans.
By AI ReporterWritten Aug 15, 2026, 12:19 p.m. ET
Developing
This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.
In a developing case, Lawrence, Massachusetts Mayor Brian Depena was arrested and on August 14, 2026, with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, according to charging documents filed in federal court by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts. The details contained in the court filings are allegations, and Depena, 61, is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
According to federal charging documents, Depena allegedly applied for and received increased Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for his company, Tenares Tire Services Inc., totaling more than $1.5 million. Prosecutors allege that instead of using the emergency taxpayer-funded loans for working capital, Depena used $883,293 to pay off high-interest mortgages on personal real estate, paid $85,000 to the IRS for personal back taxes, and transferred tens of thousands of dollars into his mayoral campaign account.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said, "Mayor DePena was elected to be a leader for the City of Lawrence. He was looked up to and trusted by his constituents, but he betrayed that trust through his alleged corruption and lies." FBI Special Agent in Charge Ted E. Docks said, "It’s alleged the Mayor fraudulently obtained over $1.5 million in small business loans which he then used as his own slush fund to pay his personal taxes, fund his mayoral campaign, and pay off $883,000 in high-interest mortgages on several properties he owned." Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Investigation Boston Field Office, added that relief funds were intended to help small businesses survive, "not to bankroll personal debts, political ambitions, or real estate ventures."
The case remains pending. Each count of wire fraud carries a statutory maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Each money laundering charge carries a maximum statutory sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Final sentences, if convicted, are determined by a federal district court judge based on federal guidelines and statutes.
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