Smirking Massachusetts mayor refuses to answer questions about $1m Covid fraud outside court because 'he doesn't speak ENGLISH'

Published: 20:45, 18 August 2026 | Updated: 20:56, 18 August 2026 A smirking mayor refused to answer questions outside of court after being charged with fraudulently obtaining pandemic loans worth over $1 million and using the money to fund his election campaign as well as pay off high-interest mortgages. Brian DePena, the Mayor of Lawrence, Massachusetts, and a Dominican native, made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston Friday, where he was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. He was released after agreeing to several conditions, including turning his passport over and not seeking any loans without court approval, the Associated Press reports. Despite the charges, footage from outside the court shows the 61-year-old smiling and waving at the press gaggle and responding "God bless" when asked if he would resign. His lawyer repeatedly said "no comment" as he was being asked the questions, before adding: "He doesn't speak English." DePena is accused of obtaining over $1.5 million in COVID small-business loans for his tire sales business. However, he allegedly used some of the proceeds to fund his mayoral campaign, pay personal taxes and pay off over $880,000 in high-interest mortgages for various properties in Lawrence, the United States Attorney's Office said. United States Attorney Leah B Foley said DePena 'was looked up to and trusted by his constituents, but he betrayed that trust through his alleged corruption and lies.' DePena was elected Mayor of Lawrence in November of 2021 and was reelected in November of 2025. He previously served on the Lawrence City Council for six years.  Brian DePena, the Mayor of Lawrence, waved to reporters outside the courthouse - as his lawyer claimed he doesn't speak English He is accused of obtaining a COVID-19 small-business loan worth $1.5 million for his tire sales business, seen here The viral clip of the mayor outside the courtroom sparked debate online over whether DePena, whose office confirmed that he has used interpreters in the past, should be able to speak English.    One user wrote: 'If you can't speak English, you shouldn't even be eligible for citizenship, much less public office. How are you supposed to represent Americans if you can't even understand our language?' Another stated: 'Anyone seeking public office in America should be REQUIRED to be fluent in English. This shouldn’t be controversial. At all.' When the Daily Mail reached out for comment, a spokesperson for the mayor did not directly confirm whether DePena speaks English and said they had no response to the courthouse video. Lawrence Mayor Brian DePena faces federal charges for allegedly using COVID-19 relief money meant for his tire business to fund his political campaign and pay personal debts, according to court documents. A spokesperson for the mayor refused to comment on the video "The Mayor has requested the assistance of an interpreter on various occasions in the past and may do so at his discretion when he determines one is needed," the spokesperson added.   DePena faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 if convicted on the wire fraud charge, the Associated Press reports.   He faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 if convicted on the money laundering charge, the outlet added.  The Daily Mail has reached out to DePena’s lawyer, Carlos Apostle, for comment.