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Dominican Mayor of Lawrence Massachusetts Arrested
Heavily hispanic (80%) and heavily Dominican immigrants (50%), Lawrence is the poster child for the pilot program of the US requiring immigration visa bonds.
It is always in the top three poorest and least educated cities in Massachusetts and half the residents there receive government benefits. 25% of its residents are non-citizens.
Corruption in that city is endemic and never seems to change. This is not a one off.......William Lantigua, a former Mayor and Dominican, is one of many others (Dominican) charged with various crimes while holding public office.
The Dominican population must feel right at home there.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
It is always in the top three poorest and least educated cities in Massachusetts and half the residents there receive government benefits. 25% of its residents are non-citizens.
Corruption in that city is endemic and never seems to change. This is not a one off.......William Lantigua, a former Mayor and Dominican, is one of many others (Dominican) charged with various crimes while holding public office.
The Dominican population must feel right at home there.
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
Hopefully he is in jail for quite a while.
Massachusetts Mayor Charged with Pandemic Loan Fraud and Money Laundering
Friday, August 14, 2026
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For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Massachusetts
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.
“Today’s arrest highlights IRS CI’s continued commitment to safeguarding emergency relief programs and holding accountable those who abuse them,” said Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “CARES Act funds were created to help small businesses survive an unprecedented national crisis — not to bankroll personal debts, political ambitions, or real estate ventures. IRS Criminal Investigation remains committed to protecting taxpayer dollars, pursuing those who exploit federal relief funds, and ensuring that financial integrity is upheld at every step.”
“Today, the FBI arrested Mayor Brian Depena for allegedly cashing in on a public health crisis and blatantly defrauding a government program meant to keep businesses afloat during the pandemic. 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. This was emergency financial assistance meant to be a safety net for struggling businesses, not Mr. Depena’s own personal ATM,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “When elected officials misuse federal funds for personal gain, they’re breaking the trust of their constituents – and breaking the law. Together, with our partners, the FBI will continue to doggedly pursue anyone who defrauds the federal government. You’ll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and that ‘easy money’ won’t seem so easy after all.”
According to the charging documents, in 2020 and 2021, Depena applied for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDL”) for Tenares Tire Services Inc., a tire sales and automotive services business he owned in Lawrence. During COVID, the U.S. Small Business Administration offered taxpayer-funded EIDLs to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruptions due to the pandemic. The interest rate on EIDLs was 3.75%, and the loan use was limited. A business could only use EIDL proceeds as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Working capital did not include funding a political campaign, paying personal taxes, or paying off mortgages.
Exactly, so many took advantage (not in a good way) of the various programs. I am sure there are many more out there who received money that they really should not have. Back during this time (Covid) we would hear about Dominicans (I am sure they were not the only ones) who were helping others by doing the paperwork for the programs and charging the person a percent of what they received. Lawrence, Union City NJ, Camden, etc....are some of the places we heard mentioned.
100% aGREED.
If you go back and look at the remittance numbers from USA to DR second half of 2020 and all of 2021...
They were breaking all time records yet NY, NJ, PA, CT and MA had some of the strictest lockdowns/ closures in the country during that time 🤔
"And the hits just keep on coming"
www.nbcboston.com
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2
Mass. state rep. for Lawrence, Methuen arrested for alleged pandemic benefit fraud
FBI Boston announced the arrest of Mass. State Rep. Francisco Paulino on alleged pandemic benefit fraud charges. A press conference is set for 11 a.m.
www.nbcboston.com
Respectfully,
Playacaribe2