BOSTON — A former Boston nursing home boss and two of his employees have been accused of embezzling $3 million dollars, according to a newly filed lawsuit in Suffolk County Superior Court. The allegations center around Tony Francis, the former administrator of the Edgar P. Benjamin Healthcare Center in Mission Hill, who was dismissed last year when a court ordered receiver was installed.
25 Investigates was the first to report on Francis’s departure and the nursing home’s financial troubles. The new lawsuit alleges that Francis misappropriated funds for personal expenses, including first-class, non-business travel to Europe, designer suits, spa services, cryptocurrency, and even lingerie.
In December 2024, 25 Investigates reported the historic nursing home’s previous administration left $772,000.00 in unpaid bills.
Francis allegedly used COVID-19 relief funds from the Paycheck Protection program to give himself a $700,000 bonus. Joseph Feaster, the court-appointed temporary receiver now overseeing the facility, played a key role in uncovering the alleged fraud.
“We’re talking about the misappropriation of federal and state dollars,” Feaster stated. He confirmed that the findings were provided to authorities in September of 2024.
He describes several of the allegations in the complaint as salacious.
“For instance, if one flies abroad and flies first class and buys two seats because they don’t want someone sitting next to them. When you have a person who is getting vacation pay for hours more than what the contract had,” Feaster stated in an interview with investigative reporter Ted Daniel.
The lawsuit further alleges that the former director of payroll and a former bookkeeper colluded with Francis to receive unearned wages. Feaster has been working to stabilize the Benjamin Healthcare Center and address its substantial debt.
Attempts to reach Tony Francis for comment via email were unsuccessful.
The allegations raise the possibility of criminal charges, though Feaster declined to comment specifically on that aspect, stating, “Potentially. That would be something I can’t speak to.”
Feaster said he is scheduled to update the court on the financial status of the Benjamin in April.
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