2026年8月18日 美国东部时间下午2:35 / 福克斯新闻
德佩尼亚的律师在被问及诈骗指控时告诉记者“他不会说英语”
作者：安德鲁·马克·米勒、基拉·麦克唐纳 福克斯新闻
马萨诸塞州市长传讯后，律师驾车撞上停放车辆
劳伦斯市市长布莱恩·德佩尼亚的律师在其因涉嫌挪用150万美元新冠小企业贷款的指控传讯后，撞上了一辆停放的车辆。（图片来源：WBZ）
新功能：您现在可以收听福克斯新闻的文章了！
blob:https://www.foxnews.com/24fa1221-720c-4276-94cc-0d03f7206b64
收听本文
时长3分钟
近日，马萨诸塞州北部一座城市的市长在社交媒体上走红，原因是其律师在记者追问其因新冠疫情救助款诈骗被捕一事时，表示市长不会说英语。
61岁的劳伦斯市市长布莱恩·德佩尼亚于周五早晨被捕，此前有调查显示他涉嫌挪用超过150万美元的经济伤害灾难贷款（EIDL）。该项目由美国小企业管理局（SBA）根据《新冠疫情救助法案》实施，旨在帮助新冠疫情期间陷入困境的企业。
“他不会说英语。无可奉告，”德佩尼亚的律师在视频中说道，与此同时德佩尼亚多次微笑着对记者说：“上帝保佑你。”
这段对话视频迅速在社交媒体上传播，引发了网友的批评，他们纷纷质疑这位市长为何无法用英语回答问题。
马萨诸塞州市长因150万美元新冠救助金诈骗案被控电信欺诈
劳伦斯市市长布莱恩·德佩尼亚面临联邦指控，罪名是将原本用于帮扶困境企业的疫情救助资金用于其市长竞选活动，并偿还个人债务。联邦检察官表示，德佩尼亚申请这笔资金是为了帮助他在劳伦斯市的轮胎店“特尼亚雷斯轮胎服务公司”。（劳伦斯市供图）
“我的天，”保守派影响力账号LibsofTikTok在X平台上发布了一条浏览量超百万的帖子，“这怎么可能是真的。”
“‘他不会说英语，无可奉告’，这是一位美国城市市长的助手说的话，”保守派电台主持人迈克·加拉格尔在X平台上发帖称，“我们的大熔炉彻底融化了。”
白宫推动国会通过“突破性”反欺诈改革，万斯召集专项工作组
2021年2月2日，纽约一处新冠疫苗接种点的标识。（赛斯·温IG/美联社照片）
“流利的英语应该成为担任公职的基本前提，”记者米兰达·德文在X平台上发帖称。
“这就是我们不仅引进第三世界人口，还选举第三世界人士担任公职的后果，”得克萨斯州共和党国会候选人杰斯·亚伯勒在X平台上发帖称，“为什么一个无法融入的外国人能在美国当市长？”
在与记者的这段对话曝光后不久，社交媒体用户发布了一段视频，似乎显示德佩尼亚在试图驾车离开时，撞上了另一辆停放的车辆。
福克斯新闻数字频道联系了德佩尼亚的办公室置评。
德佩尼亚出生于多米尼加共和国，2021年11月当选劳伦斯市市长，并于2025年11月连任。他此前曾于2016年至2021年在劳伦斯市议会任职。德佩尼亚此前曾承认自己曾是“无证移民”，称他“没有证件”来到美国，后来成为了美国公民。
点击此处下载福克斯新闻APP
视频
“德佩尼亚市长当选是为了成为劳伦斯市的领导者，”美国检察官莉亚·B·福利说道，“他曾受到选民的尊敬和信任，但他所谓的腐败和谎言背叛了这份信任。今天的逮捕再次表明，我们决心根除任何形式的欺诈，哪怕是公职人员的欺诈，并让当选官员承担责任。”
如果罪名成立，德佩尼亚最高将面临30年监禁。
福克斯新闻数字频道联系了德佩尼亚的律师卡洛斯·阿波斯托尔置评。
福克斯新闻数字频道的路易斯·卡西阿诺对本文亦有贡献。
安德鲁·马克·米勒是福克斯新闻记者。可在推特@andymarkmiller关注他，或发送爆料邮件至AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com。
Blue state mayor arrested for fraud sparks uproar for not speaking English in viral clip: ‘How is this real’
August 18, 2026 2:35pm EDT / Fox News
DePeña’s lawyer told reporters ‘he doesn’t speak English’ when pressed on fraud charges
By Andrew Mark Miller, Kiera McDonald Fox News
Lawyer rear-ends parked car after Massachusetts mayor’s arraignment
Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña’s attorney hits a parked vehicle after arraignment on charges tied to alleged misuse of $1.5 million in COVID-19 small-business loans. (Credit: WBZ)
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!
blob:https://www.foxnews.com/24fa1221-720c-4276-94cc-0d03f7206b64
Listen to this article
3 min
The mayor of a northern Massachusetts town went viral on social media in recent days after his lawyer told reporters the mayor doesn’t speak English when they pressed him about being arrested for COVID-19 pandemic relief fraud.
Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña, 61, was arrested Friday morning after an investigation into his alleged misuse of more than $1.5 million of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), a program administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the CARES Act to assist struggling businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He doesn’t speak English. No comment,” DePeña’s lawyer said in the clip as DePeña repeatedly smiles and says, “God bless you,” to the reporters.
The clip of the exchange quickly spread on social media, prompting criticism from users wondering aloud why the mayor wouldn’t be able to answer questions in English.
MASSACHUSETTS MAYOR CHARGED WITH WIRE FRAUD IN $1.5M COVID RELIEF SCHEME
Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña faces federal charges for allegedly using pandemic relief funds meant to assist struggling businesses for his mayoral campaign and to pay off his personal debts. DePeña applied for the funds to help Tenares Tire Services Inc., his tire shop in Lawrence, federal prosecutors said.(City of Lawrence)
“OMG,” conservative influencer account LibsofTikTok wrote on X in a post viewed over 1 million times. “How is this real.”
“‘He doesn’t speak English, no comment’ says the assistant of the mayor of an American city,” conservative radio host Mike Gallagher posted on X. “Our melting pot has completely melted.”
WHITE HOUSE PUSHES ‘WATERSHED’ FRAUD-FIGHTING REFORM IN CONGRESS AS VANCE CONVENES TASK FORCE
A sign advertises a COVID-19 vaccination site in New York, Feb. 2, 2021.(Seth Wenig/AP Photo)
“English fluency should be a basic prerequisite for holding public office,” journalist Miranda Devine posted on X.
“This is what happens when we not only import the third world, but elect the third world,” Texas Republican congressional candidate Jace Yarbrough posted on X. “Why is an unassimilated foreigner a mayor in America?”
Shortly after the exchange with reporters, users on social media posted video appearing to show the car DePeña left in after crashing into another parked car while attempting to drive away.
Fox News Digital reached out to DePeña’s office for comment.
DePeña, who was born in the Dominican Republic, was elected mayor of Lawrence in November 2021 and won re-election in November 2025. He previously served on the Lawrence City Council from 2016 to 2021. DePeña has previously acknowledged that he was once an “undocumented immigrant,” saying he came to the United States “without papers,” and later became a U.S. citizen.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Video
“Mayor DePeña was elected to be a leader for the City of Lawrence,” U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said. “He was looked up to and trusted by his constituents, but he betrayed that trust through his alleged corruption and lies. Today’s arrest is just another example of our determination to root out fraud by anyone, even public officials, and hold elected officials accountable.”
If convicted, DePeña faces up to 30 years in prison.
Fox News Digital reached out to DePeña’s lawyer, Carlos Apostle, for comment.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.
发表回复