In a shocking turn of events, the mayor of a suburb near Boston is facing accusations of federal wire fraud and money laundering. Allegedly, he misappropriated over $1.5 million from COVID-era small business loans, funneling these funds into his campaign, covering personal tax obligations, and paying off steep real estate loans.

Brian DePena, the 61-year-old Mayor of Lawrence, was apprehended on Friday morning after an in-depth investigation into claims of misusing Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). These loans, part of a COVID relief initiative spearheaded by the U.S. Small Business Administration through the CARES Act, were intended to aid struggling businesses to stay afloat during the pandemic.

DePena ascended to the role of Lawrence’s mayor in November 2021, subsequently securing reelection in November 2025. His political career also includes a tenure on the Lawrence City Council, where he served from 2016 to 2021.

“Mayor DePena was chosen to be a guiding force for Lawrence,” remarked U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley. “He was admired and trusted by his community, only to betray that trust through alleged corrupt activities and deceit. Today’s arrest exemplifies our relentless pursuit to expose and eradicate fraud, regardless of the perpetrator’s status, and underscores our commitment to holding public officials to account.”

In May 2020, DePena applied for an EIDL on behalf of his business, Tenares Tire Service Inc., an auto service and tire shop in Lawrence. The EIDL funds, which carried a 3.75% interest rate, were only to be used to alleviate pandemic-related financial struggles for businesses.

The SBA initially approved a $150,000 loan for Tenares Tire in June 2020. However, DePena sought additional funding months later upon facing cash flow issues. In April 2021, he applied for an increase and was approved for a $350,000 modification. A second loan modification followed in October 2021 that brought the total to $1.1 million.

Upon the second loan modification, DePena was unable to access the funds for a month, resulting in panic, officials said.

“Brother, call me, I’m in trouble. I don’t want to pressure you, but I don’t have time to wait for this loan. I’m in your hands,” DePena allegedly wrote in a translated Spanish text message to a financial advisor assisting with the loan application.

“I know I’m bothering you a lot, but I have no other option,” he added. “Only you can give me what I need.”

Upon receiving the funds, prosecutors claim DePena began diverting them. Between August and October 2021, he allegedly transferred nearly $90,000 from his business accounts to personal accounts, subsequently writing checks totaling over $42,000 directly to “The Committee to Elect Brian DePena”.

In addition, officials said he used the taxpayer funds to pay off personal debts, including $85,000 paid to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to settle personal back taxes and another $883,293 to pay off high-interest mortgages on personal properties he owned in Lawrence.

“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,” said Thomas Demeo, special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Boston Field Office. “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.”

As of Aug. 5, DePena had made only 16 payments toward the Tenares Tire EIDL, totaling $130,160. Since the payments went toward the accrued interest, the outstanding loan balance remains at approximately $1.65 million, the complaint states.

DePena is scheduled to make his initial appearance in Boston federal court on Friday afternoon. He faces up to 30 years in prison.

The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to News Media’s request for comment.

On Thursday, a Tennessee inmate on death row met his fate via lethal injection, with his final words directed at a long-lost son who was there to witness the somber moment.

Anthony Hines, 66, shortly before his execution for the brutal 1985 murder of 54-year-old mother of four Catherine Jean Jenkins, reportedly told this son, “Say ‘hello’ to my son,” as per the Associated Press. 

Hines and his son had a poignant reunion just four days before the execution, having last seen each other when the boy was merely three. Their meeting took place at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution located in Nashville.

Witnesses noted that Hines appeared to struggle, making groaning sounds and breathing heavily before he was declared dead at precisely 10:43 a.m.

Among those present was Dennis Jenkins, the son of the victim, who expressed a wish that Hines would experience “severe pain” during his final moments.

Dennis said his mother had only a plastic spray bottle to defend herself when she was murdered by Hines.

HInes was convicted of fatally stabbing Jenkins while she was working as a motel maid in Kingston Springs.

“I hope he felt severe pain because what he did to my mother is nothing compared to what he may have just gone through,” Dennis said of Hines.

Hines had unsuccessfully appealed his sentence, claiming the doctor overseeing the execution was incompetent and likely to botch the procedure.

Three inmates were put to death Thursday — marking the first triple execution in the United States in 16 years.

Murderers on death row in Oklahoma and Alabama were also executed through lethal injection.

Typically, there is only one execution scheduled per day, with two executions being rare — but three is “very unusual,” Death Penalty Information Center Executive Director Robin Maher told USA Today. 

Death penalty observers say that double or triple executions are purely coincidental timing.

In the aftermath of a tragic incident in Michigan, the former wife of a man accused of multiple murders has reassured that she and their trio of children are unharmed and safe.

Chad Hickman, aged 39, is suspected of fatally shooting three individuals at a residence on LaChance Road, Lake Township last Friday before making his getaway.

Officers responded swiftly following a distress call from an unidentified 13-year-old girl. She reported being shot in the arm, which led authorities to the location. There, they discovered three deceased victims and another seriously wounded person.

The disturbing scene triggered an extensive manhunt for Hickman, deemed ‘armed and dangerous’ by Michigan State Police.

During their search, police uncovered a fourth victim’s body in a different home. Shortly after, they came across Hickman’s deserted vehicle near Whitlock Lake, abandoned in the woods.

Authorities then decided to scour the area with a K9 team, when they discovered Hickman’s body – along with another deceased victim.

Police have not yet released the identities of those killed in the rampage or how they were related to Hickman, but a profile apparently belonging to Hickman’s ex-wife posted that she and their three children were safe from the rampage.

‘Just want to let everyone know that me and the kids are safe,’ she posted. 

‘And thank you all for loving and caring for me and my family as much as you all do. We love you all.’

The ex-wife, Katie, initiated divorce proceedings in 2023, according to records obtained by the Detroit News.

A motive for the killings remains while authorities work to piece together exactly what happened, though authorities have said there is no ongoing threat to the public.

‘Not only is this difficult for our investigators and our troopers, but it’s very hard for this community. You know, this type of loss is tragic,’ Michigan State Police Public Information Officer Ashley Miller told Up North Live. 

She then vowed that troopers are ‘going to conduct a thorough investigation, and we want to make sure to keep our community members up to date on our current situation and what we’re discovering throughout this process.’

As the investigation now continues, state Representative Ken Borton offered his condolences.

‘Please join me in praying for our Northern Michigan community tonight after the unspeakable acts of violence we saw unfold today, especially send prayers for the six families who lost a loved one today and pray that an additional person, currently fighting for their life, will pull through and make a full recovery,’ he posted on social media.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson also posted that she is ‘devastated to hear about the tragic shooting that occurred this afternoon in Missaukee County.

‘As we await more details, my prayers are with the family and loved ones of the victims and the entire Northern Michigan community.’ 

Governor Gretchen Whitmer also said she was briefed on the shooting and was monitoring the situation.

‘My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the Missaukee community,’ she said.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.

CHICAGO (WLS) — In a gathering marked by grief and frustration, families reeling from the grim discovery of numerous decomposing bodies at South Chicago Chapel convened in Morgan Park for a community forum. It was an opportunity to consult with legal experts and explore available services, though many attendees expressed they still lack crucial information about their loved ones.

Concurrently, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office is diligently working to release the names of 56 deceased individuals found in varying states of decomposition. As of Friday, officials confirmed that identities of at least 33 bodies had been internally established.

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One of the identified individuals is Jacklyn Russ’s mother, who passed away in 2024. Russ entrusted South Chicago Chapel with her mother’s funeral services but never viewed the body prior to burial, leading to persistent uncertainty and questions that continue to haunt her.

“It’s troubling not knowing if my mom is actually in the ground,” Russ shared, speaking candidly during the forum designed to support families caught in this distressing situation.

Russ represents just one of the many voices seeking clarity amid ongoing investigations into South Chicago Chapel and the associated Bohemian National Cemetery, as affected families strive to piece together the full scope of the unfolding revelations.

Authorities said 56 decomposing bodies and more than 50 sets of cremated remains were discovered at South Chicago Chapel last week. Investigators are also examining connections between the funeral home’s operators, Clark and Johanna Morgan, and Bohemian National Cemetery and Crematorium.

At a community forum, crisis responders and attorneys met with families to hear their concerns and discuss legal options.

“So families right now they’re kind of in a holding pattern, just wanting to know … where is my loved one? Is this my loved one I have in this urn?” said Lisette Guillen, the Executive Director of Case Files Chicago.

“All of them are angry, all of them are sad, all of them are in the state of shock,” Guillen said.

Sisters Marshawna and Franquella Campbell said they continue to question whether the ashes they received after their mother’s death in April were authentic.

“We’re dealing with grief after grief after grief. We can’t heal because we don’t know where our loved-ones’ bodies are,” Marshawna Campbell said.

Franquella Campbell said she immediately doubted the ashes presented to her family.

“When the lady put that urn in front of us, I said that’s not my momma. I told her straight, like that’s not my momma,” she said.

Marshawna Campbell also expressed concerns about the ashes.

“It looked like gravel, like they grinded up some rocks and put it in a bag,” she said.

The Campbells were among several families attending the forum.

Christine White said it took more than four months to receive her son’s ashes in 2024. She also alleged the funeral home refused to accept payment from the state’s victims compensation fund and made errors in paperwork related to her son’s death.

“When I finally looked at the death certificate, it didn’t have the funeral home I went to on 95th. It had the one in Chicago Heights,” White said.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office says it has identified 33 of the 56 bodies found at the funeral home.

Among those identified was Raymond Delgado, who died after a shooting last month in Gary that also killed his 10-year-old nephew, Montana Weathers.

Delgado’s daughter, who asked not to be identified, said the funeral home was shut down the day before her father’s scheduled funeral there.

“And then this on top of that, it’s a lot. It’s traumatic,” she said.

She said the closure prevented her family from properly saying goodbye.

“They’ve robbed me of grieving, saying goodbye to him, his belongings,” she said.

Delgado’s daughter also said she was unable to view her father’s body at the medical examiner’s office.

“I just wanted to see him, and the medical examiner told me no … that if I wanted to see him I would have to set up another funeral with a different funeral home,” she said.

Unable to afford arrangements for a second funeral, she said her father will be cremated by the medical examiner’s office.

According to the Illinois Office of Comptroller, inspectors visiting Bohemian National Cemetery and Crematorium in July and found human remains that were not stored at proper temperatures, along with refrigeration and cremation equipment that wasn’t working.

The state comptroller’s office said 35 bodies at the facility were awaiting cremation. Officials also said at least 22 of those bodies have been tied to the owners of South Chicago Chapel and Planet Green Cremations in Glenwood, a storefront also owned by the Morgans.

READ MORE | Investigation continues after decomposing bodies found at Chicago funeral home | LIVE Updates