BOSTON, MA — Tony Francis, the 59-year-old former chief executive of Edgar P. Benjamin Health Center, pleaded guilty on February 27, 2026, to two federal counts of intentional misapplication of funds from a program receiving federal assistance, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts. Prosecutors say Francis diverted more than $190,000 in federal disaster relief loans and nursing home operating funds for personal financial gain over a four-year period, leaving the nearly century-old skilled nursing facility in financial ruin.
Francis served as CEO of the facility, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center located in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. According to federal prosecutors, in June 2020, Francis redirected approximately $160,000 from a Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loan — funds specifically designated to support workers during the COVID-19 pandemic — into his personal bank account. He then used the money as a down payment to purchase a nursing home in New Britain, Connecticut, a venture he was pursuing with two other investors, as reported by Universal Hub.
Between 2022 and 2024, Francis continued to exploit the facility's finances by tapping into the organization's line of credit to cover personal debts, according to prosecutors. Those payments included personal loans held with USAA and Rockland Trust, as well as mortgage payments on his home in Needham, Massachusetts — none of which had been authorized by the facility's board of directors.
The consequences for the health center and its residents were severe. According to the Bay State Banner, the facility — recognized as the only Black-founded, owned, and operated nursing home in New England — was placed under the control of court-appointed receiver Joseph Feaster in April 2024 after escalating cash shortages caused employee paychecks to bounce and left staff going weeks without pay. As reported by Universal Hub, residents at the Mission Hill facility were at times left without basic medical supplies, including colostomy bags, while funds were being siphoned.
The Broader Financial Picture
The federal guilty plea addresses only a portion of the alleged financial misconduct. As reported by CBS Boston, receiver Joseph Feaster filed a separate civil lawsuit in Suffolk County Superior Court alleging that Francis siphoned more than $3 million from the facility over the course of his tenure. That lawsuit also named two former employees — a former payroll director and a former bookkeeper — who allegedly assisted Francis in the scheme. The civil complaint detailed expenditures including first-class international airfare, designer clothing, spa treatments, lingerie, and cryptocurrency purchases, according to CBS Boston.
An investigative report by Boston 25 News revealed that Francis's total compensation ballooned dramatically during his time leading the nonprofit. His base salary reportedly grew from approximately $156,000 in 2015 to more than $628,000 by 2021, with total compensation including benefits exceeding $930,000 — making him the highest-paid nonprofit nursing home administrator in Boston, according to the station's analysis.
Despite receiving $3.2 million in federal COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program assistance and generating $11 million in revenue in 2021, the facility's finances deteriorated sharply. According to Boston 25 News, board minutes from April 2023 disclosed that the health center had lost approximately $100,000 through a cryptocurrency exchange, with an additional $20,000 requested to attempt to recover the funds. By January 2024, the facility owed more than $175,000 to Boston Water and Sewer and over $340,000 to utility provider Eversource.
The Massachusetts Attorney General's office intervened on behalf of affected workers, issuing a $15,000 citation against the facility and securing approximately $190,000 in restitution for employees who had gone without pay, as reported by Boston 25 News.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence at the lower end of federal sentencing guidelines, along with two years of probation and approximately $44,000 in restitution, noting that Francis had already repaid the majority of the misappropriated funds, according to the Bay State Banner. Sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2026. Francis faces a maximum potential penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000.
CMS Inspection History
An earlier inspection in February 2025 found deficiencies in care planning, accident prevention and supervision, and respiratory care delivery. The facility's persistent pattern of regulatory failures raises serious questions about the quality of the investment Francis allegedly made using funds meant to protect pandemic-era healthcare workers.
Ownership & Operations
Resources for Families
Families with loved ones in nursing facilities who suspect financial mismanagement, neglect, or abuse have several avenues for seeking help. Federal law requires that all nursing homes receiving Medicare or Medicaid funding meet established standards of care and financial accountability.
For concerns about nursing homes in Connecticut, families can contact the Connecticut Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-866-388-1888. The ombudsman program advocates for residents and can investigate complaints confidentially.
The National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center can be reached at 1-800-677-1116 or online at [ltcombudsman.org](https://ltcombudsman.org). Suspected fraud involving federal healthcare funds can also be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
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