Mass Fraud in Massachusetts: Mayor Uses COVID Funds for Personal Gain

Ah, COVID relief fraud funds, the political gift that keeps on giving. If you’re a politician in need of a little extra cash, have no fear! Our tax dollars can be used as a rainy-day fund.

The Daily Wire reports:

A foreign-born Massachusetts mayor was arrested Friday for stealing COVID relief funds to fund his campaign and pay off personal debt.

The FBI arrested Lawrence Democratic Mayor Brian DePena, 61, for allegedly funneling $1.5 million in COVID funds to fund his campaign, pay taxes, and pay down $880,000 on various property mortgages. DePena, who went viral last year for struggling to speak English, was charged with wire fraud and money laundering.

Well, if DePeña didn’t know what “felony” meant in English before, my guess is he does now.

The article continues:

Court documents say that DePena used Economic Injury Disaster Loans offered by the government and obtained by his business, Tenares Tire Services, as a fund for personal monetary benefit.

From one round of $350,000 in loans deposited into his business account, DePena used $85,000 to pay off personal tax debts and moved $120,000 into a personal account, investigators say. DePena then wrote a number of checks totaling $90,000 to “The Committee to Elect Brian DePena,” according to court documents. Before the influx of cash, the account sat at just over $20.

What an amateur. Anyone who has watched enough “Better Call Saul” knows that nail salons and laser tag facilities are the best fronts for money laundering.

DePeña seems to have conveniently forgotten that “Public funds belong to the citizens, and their oversight is essential.” Which is odd…because those were HIS words from HIS website. If this shining example of a public servant is convicted, he’s looking at more than 20 years in the slammer. Not long enough if you ask me.

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