Former CEO of Non-Profit Nursing Home Sentenced for Misapplication of Property

BOSTON - The former CEO of the non-profit Edgar P. Benjamin Health Center (EPBHC) was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for charges arising from his improper use of EPBHC funds.

Tony Francis, 60, of Needham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2026, Francis pleaded guilty to two counts of intentional misapplication of money from a program receiving federal funds.

Francis was Administrator, President, and Chief Executive Officer of EPBHC, a non-profit entity that operated Benjamin Healthcare, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility located in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. In and around 2023 and 2024, EPBHC faced significant financial deficiencies that included a shortage of cash and inability to make payroll. In April 2024 the Massachusetts Superior Court ordered the appointment of a receiver to operate EPBHC.

Francis abused his position of trust with EPBHC by intentionally misapplying funds belonging to EPBHC. Specifically, in 2020, Francis used close to $160,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds, that had been provided to EPBHC by the U.S. Small Business Administration, as a deposit for a personal real estate investment. In addition, in 2023 and 2024, Francis arranged for EPBHC to make payments of principal, interest and late fees on a $100,000 personal loan without having approval of the EPBHC Board of Directors to do so. Finally, at various times between 2022 and 2024, Francis drew on an EPBHC line of credit to transfer funds to his own personal checking account so that he would have sufficient funds account to pay his mortgage and personal credit card bills. In total, Francis misappropriated more than $190,000 from EPBHC, although Francis later returned most of these funds.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case along with Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General Kevin Lownds, who was sworn in as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.

On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.

Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).

On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department's work to combat fraud supports President Trump's Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.