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Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 1 of 20
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
`FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO
`
`Criminal Case No.
`
`21-cr-00083-RM
`
`UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
`
`Plaintiff,
`
`v.
`
`1.
`
`FRANCIS F. JOSEPH,
`
`Defendant.
`
`______________________________________________________________________
`
`INDICTMENT
`Count 1
`18 U.S.C. § 669
`Count 2
`18 U.S.C. § 641
`Count 3
`18 U.S.C. § 1343
`Count 4
`18 U.S.C. § 152(3)
`Forfeiture Allegation
`18 U.S.C. §§ 981(a)(1)(C), 982(a)(2), and 982(a)(7) and 28 U.S.C. § 2461(c)
`______________________________________________________________________
`
`The Grand Jury charges:
`
`GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
`
`At all times relevant to this Indictment:
`
`Defendant and Relevant Entities
`
`1.
`
`FRANCIS F. JOSEPH was a resident of Douglas County, Colorado, within
`
`the District of Colorado. JOSEPH was a physician licensed to practice medicine in the
`
`State of Colorado.
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`

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`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 2 of 20
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`2.
`
`Springs Medical Associates, P.C. a/k/a Springs Medical Associates, Inc.
`
`(“Springs Medical”), formed in or around August 2014 by FRANCIS F. JOSEPH, was a
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`Colorado corporation that maintained its principal office in El Paso County, Colorado.
`
`3.
`
`FRANCIS F. JOSEPH operated, managed, and controlled Springs Medical
`
`until on or about January 29, 2020, when he ceded management and control of Springs
`
`Medical as well as its finances, including its bank accounts, to Individual 1. Between
`
`January 29, 2020 and April 14, 2020, JOSEPH was employed by Springs Medical until
`
`he was terminated.
`
`Relevant Financial Accounts
`
`4.
`
`Springs Medical held business account x5191 at Bank 1 (“Official Springs
`
`Medical Account”).
`
`5.
`
`FRANCIS F. JOSEPH held account x6089 at Bank 1 in the name of a family
`
`member (“Family Member Account”).
`
`6.
`
`On or about March 27, 2020, unbeknownst to Springs Medical or Individual
`
`1 and without authorization, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH opened account x0396 at Bank 2, in
`
`the name of Springs Medical with himself as the sole signatory (“Unofficial Springs
`
`Medical Account”).
`
`7.
`
`On or about October 29, 2020 and October 30, 2020, unbeknownst to
`
`Springs Medical or Individual 1 and without authorization, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH opened
`
`accounts x1462 and x7300, respectively, at Bank 3, in the name of Springs Medical with
`
`himself as the sole signatory (“Other Unofficial Springs Medical Accounts”).
`
`
`
`2
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`

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`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 3 of 20
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`The Medicare Program
`
`8.
`
`The Medicare Program (“Medicare”) was a federally funded health care
`
`benefit program that provided free or below-cost health care benefits to certain
`
`individuals, primarily the elderly, blind, and disabled, and those who were 65 years of age
`
`or older. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”), a Federal agency
`
`under the United States Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”),
`
`administered Medicare.
`
`9.
`
`The term “health care benefit program,” under Title 18, United States Code,
`
`Section 24(b), was defined as “any public or private plan or contract, affecting commerce,
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`under which any medical benefit, item, or service is provided to any individual, and
`
`includes any individual or entity who is providing a medical benefit, item, or service for
`
`which payment may be made under the plan or contract.”
`
`10. Medicare was a “health care benefit program” pursuant to Title 18, United
`
`States Code, Section 24(b), and a “Federal health care program” pursuant to Title 42,
`
`United States Code, Section 1320a-7b(f).
`
`11. Medicare was divided into multiple parts. Medicare Part A covered services
`
`provided by hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospices, among others. Medicare Part
`
`B covered services provided by physicians, medical clinics, laboratories, among others.
`
`Medicare Part C (or “Medicare Advantage”) provided individuals with the option to receive
`
`their Medicare benefits through private insurers approved by Medicare, which may have
`
`entitled recipients to receive additional benefits. Medicare Part D provided prescription
`
`drug coverage to persons who were eligible for Medicare benefits under Parts A and B.
`
`
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`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 4 of 20
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`12. Health care providers, including physicians and clinics (collectively,
`
`“Providers”) who wished to be eligible to participate in Medicare Part B were requested
`
`to periodically sign an enrollment application form, that is, CMS Form 855I for physicians
`
`and CMS Form 855B for clinics. The enrollment forms, which were required to be signed
`
`by an authorized representative of the Provider, contained a certification that stated:
`
`I agree to abide by the Medicare laws, regulations, and program instructions
`that apply to me or the organization listed in Section 4A of this Application.
`The Medicare laws, regulations, and program instructions are available
`through the fee-for-service contractor. I understand that payment of a claim
`by Medicare is conditioned upon the claim and the underlying transaction
`complying with such laws, regulations and program instructions (including,
`but not limited to, the Federal anti-kickback statute and the Stark law), and
`on the supplier’s compliance with all applicable conditions of participation in
`Medicare.
`
`13. Providers that enrolled in Medicare and received a “provider number” were
`
`able to file claims with Medicare, either in hardcopy or electronically, to obtain
`
`reimbursement for services provided (“Medicare Provider”).
`
`14. CMS contracted with private insurance companies under Part B to receive,
`
`adjudicate, and pay Medicare claims submitted by Medicare Providers. Once contracted
`
`to process Medicare Part B claims, these private insurance companies were known as
`
`Medicare Administrative Contractors (“MACs”). CMS contracted with Novitas Solutions
`
`(“Novitas”) to process and pay Medicare Part B claims in the state of Colorado.
`
`Accelerated and Advance Payment Program
`
`15. On or about January 31, 2020, the Secretary of HHS declared that a public
`
`health emergency had existed in the United States since January 27, 2020 and continued
`
`to exist due to COVID-19. On April 21, 2020, July 23, 2020, October 2, 2020, and January
`
`
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`4
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`7, 2021, the Secretary of the HHS issued renewals of the existence of the public health
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`emergency due to COVID-19.
`
`16.
`
`In or around March 2020, in order to increase cash flow to Medicare
`
`Providers impacted by the pandemic, CMS expanded the existing Accelerated and
`
`Advance Payment Program to a broader group of Medicare Providers under both
`
`Medicare Part A and Part B.
`
`17.
`
`The payments through the Accelerated and Advance Payment Program
`
`(“Advanced Payments”) were intended to provide necessary funds due to a disruption in
`
`claims submission and/or claims processing. These Advanced Payments were offered
`
`in circumstances such as national emergencies or natural disasters in order to accelerate
`
`cash flow to the impacted Medicare Providers. CMS was authorized to provide Advanced
`
`Payments during the period of the COVID-19 public health emergency to any Medicare
`
`Provider who submitted a request to the appropriate MAC and met the required
`
`qualifications.
`
`18.
`
`To qualify for Advanced Payments, the Medicare Provider was required to:
`
`(1) have billed Medicare for claims within 180 days immediately prior to the date of
`
`signature on the form requesting Advanced Payment (“Advance Payment Request
`
`Form”); (2) not be in bankruptcy; (3) not be under active medical review or program
`
`integrity
`
`investigation; and (4) not have any outstanding delinquent Medicare
`
`overpayments.
`
`19. Medicare Providers would request a specific amount using an Advance
`
`Payment Request Form provided on each MAC’s website. Most Medicare Providers were
`
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`able to request up to 100 percent of the Medicare payment amount for a three-month
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`period.
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`20. Medicare Providers would continue to submit claims as usual after the
`
`issuance of the Advanced Payments. Medicare Providers would receive full payments
`
`for their claims prior to the start of a recoupment period, which would begin 365 days from
`
`the date of payment. During the recoupment period, Medicare would automatically offset
`
`amounts owed for new claims to repay the Advanced Payments.
`
`CARES Act Provider Relief Fund
`
`21.
`
`In March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and
`
`Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, which was designed to provide emergency financial
`
`assistance to the millions of Americans suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
`
`22.
`
`The CARES Act appropriated moneys to help Medicare Providers that were
`
`financially impacted by COVID-19, as well as to provide care to individuals who were
`
`suffering from COVID-19 and compensate Medicare Providers for the cost of that care
`
`(the “Provider Relief Fund”).
`
`23. HHS,
`
`through
`
`its agency,
`
`the Health Resources and Services
`
`Administration (“HRSA”), oversaw and administered the Provider Relief Fund.
`
`24.
`
`In order to rapidly provide funding to Medicare Providers during the
`
`pandemic, HRSA distributed payments under the Provider Relief Fund (“Provider Relief
`
`Payment”) to Medicare Providers who (a) billed Medicare Part A or Part B in Calendar
`
`Year 2019; (b) provided after January 31, 2020 diagnoses, testing, or care for individuals
`
`with possible or actual cases of COVID-19; (c) were not currently terminated from
`
`
`
`6
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`

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`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 7 of 20
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`participation in Medicare or precluded from receiving payment through Medicare
`
`Advantage or Part D; (d) were not currently excluded from participation in Medicare,
`
`Medicaid, and other Federal health care programs; and (e) did not currently have
`
`Medicare billing privileges revoked. Medicare Providers meeting these criteria
`
`automatically received the Provider Relief Payment and did not have to apply for the
`
`funding but were required to comply with the terms and conditions of the Provider Relief
`
`Fund if they retained such funding.
`
`25.
`
`If a Medicare Provider elected to retain the payment, it was required to
`
`abide by the terms and conditions of the program, including that (a) the payment shall
`
`reimburse the recipient only for health care related expenses or lost revenues that are
`
`attributable to COVID-19 and (b) that the payment would only be used for the diagnoses,
`
`testing, or care for individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19. Medicare
`
`Providers would attest to the terms and conditions by logging into a portal on the HHS
`
`website, or would be deemed to have agreed to the terms and conditions by keeping the
`
`funds for longer than 90 days.
`
`Small Business Administration
`
`26.
`
`The United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”) was an
`
`executive-branch agency of the United States government that provided support to
`
`entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the SBA was to maintain and
`
`strengthen the nation’s economy by enabling the establishment and viability of small
`
`business and by assisting in the economic recovery of communities after disasters.
`
`
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`7
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`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 8 of 20
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`The Paycheck Protection Program
`
`27. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of
`
`up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain
`
`other expenses, through a program referred to as the Paycheck Protection Program
`
`(“PPP”). In or around April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP
`
`funding.
`
`28.
`
`In order to obtain a PPP loan, a qualifying business was required to submit
`
`a PPP loan application, signed by an authorized representative of the business. The PPP
`
`loan application required the business (through its authorized representative) to
`
`acknowledge the program rules and make certain affirmative certifications in order to be
`
`eligible to obtain the PPP loan. In the PPP loan application, the small business (through
`
`its authorized representative) was required to state, among other things, its: (a) average
`
`monthly payroll expenses; and (b) its number of employees. These figures were used to
`
`calculate the amount of money the small business was eligible to receive under the PPP.
`
`In addition, businesses applying for a PPP loan were required to provide documentation
`
`showing their payroll expenses.
`
`29. A business’s PPP loan application was received and processed, in the first
`
`instance, by a participating lender. If a PPP loan application was approved, the
`
`participating lender funded the loan using its own monies. Data from the application,
`
`including information about the borrower, the total amount of the loan, and the listed
`
`number of employees, was transmitted by the lender to the SBA in the course of
`
`processing the loan.
`
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`8
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`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 9 of 20
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`30. PPP loan proceeds were required to be used by the business on certain
`
`permissible expenses: payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent, and utilities. The PPP
`
`allowed the interest and principal on the PPP loan to be entirely forgiven if the business
`
`spent the loan proceeds on these permissible expense items within a designated period
`
`of time after receiving the proceeds and used a certain portion of the loan proceeds on
`
`payroll expenses.
`
`Relevant PPP Lenders and Affiliated Companies
`
`31. Company 1 was a financial-services company based in Georgia.
`
`32. Company 1 was authorized by the SBA to participate as a PPP lender to
`
`small businesses.
`
`33.
`
` Small businesses seeking PPP loans could apply through Company 1 for
`
`PPP loans. Company 1 would review the loan applications. If the loan application
`
`received by Company 1 was approved for funding, it disbursed the loan funds to the
`
`applicant.
`
`Bankruptcy
`
`34.
`
`Individuals who filed for bankruptcy were known under Federal bankruptcy
`
`law as “debtors.”
`
`35. Bankruptcy was a process by which debtors obtained relief from their
`
`“creditors.” Creditors were individuals, businesses, and government agencies who were
`
`owed money by the debtor. The bankruptcy process was designed to achieve the orderly
`
`distribution to creditors of available assets of the debtor that were truthfully disclosed.
`
`The bankruptcy process also provided a fresh start to debtors by allowing them to obtain
`
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`a “discharge” of debts, that is, an order that released the debtors from further personal
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`liability for specified types of debts.
`
`36. When filing for bankruptcy, and during the pendency of the bankruptcy, a
`
`debtor was required to disclose all of its assets to the bankruptcy court so that a
`
`determination could be made whether the assets were able to be used, in whole or in
`
`part, to reimburse creditors and pay off or reduce the debt. This included any assets the
`
`debtor received after filing for bankruptcy.
`
`37.
`
`The filing of the bankruptcy petition created a “bankruptcy estate” consisting
`
`of all of the debtor’s legal and equitable interests in property as of the commencement of
`
`the case. All of the debtor’s tangible and intangible property belonged to the estate,
`
`including real estate, bank accounts, and equitable or future interests in property. Under
`
`Section 1115(a)(1) of the Bankruptcy Code, all property acquired by the debtor after
`
`commencement of the case was property of the estate.
`
`38. Debtors were required to file a Schedule A/B of Assets with their petition for
`
`bankruptcy. The Schedule required debtors to “[d]isclose all property, real and personal,
`
`which the debtor owns or in which the debtor has any other legal, equitable, or future
`
`interest.” This included identifying checking, savings, money market, or financial
`
`brokerage accounts and the amount of money therein. In submitting the Voluntary
`
`Petition for Non-Individuals Filing for Bankruptcy, debtors were required to execute a
`
`“Declaration Under Penalty of Perjury,” which included a notice that making a false
`
`statement or concealing property in connection with a bankruptcy case could result in
`
`fines up to $500,000 or imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both. The form included an
`
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`10
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`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 11 of 20
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`agreement, under penalty of perjury, that the signer was an authorized agent or
`
`representative on behalf of the debtor and had a reasonable belief that the information
`
`contained in the petition was true and correct.
`
`COUNT ONE
`18 U.S.C. § 669
`
`The Grand Jury hereby realleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs
`
`39.
`
`1 through 38 of this Indictment as though fully set forth herein.
`
`40. On or about April 8, 2020, in the State and District of Colorado, and
`
`elsewhere, defendant FRANCIS F. JOSEPH did knowingly and willfully embezzle, steal,
`
`and without authority convert to the use of any person other than its rightful owner, and
`
`intentionally misapplied moneys, funds, property, and assets, with a value in excess of
`
`$100, that is approximately $86,747.11, of a health care benefit program, as defined in
`
`Title 18, United States Code, Section 24(b), that is Medicare.
`
`Manner and Means
`
`41. On or about March 29, 2020, after relinquishing management and control
`
`of Springs Medical, and unbeknownst to Individual 1, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH completed
`
`and signed an Advanced Payment Request Form, purportedly on behalf of Springs
`
`Medical, requesting the maximum amount available from CMS.
`
`42.
`
`In
`
`the Advanced Payment Request Form, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH
`
`acknowledged the terms of receiving the Advanced Payment, including that Springs
`
`Medical would have to repay to CMS the amount of the Advanced Payment.
`
`43.
`
` In the Advanced Payment Request Form, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH further
`
`identified the reason for the Advanced Payment as being a “[d]elay in provider/supplier
`
`
`
`11
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`

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`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 12 of 20
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`billing process [ ] of an isolated temporary nature beyond the provider/supplier’s normal
`
`billing cycle due to COVID-19 and not attributable to other third party payers or private
`
`patients.”
`
`44.
`
`That same day, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH submitted the Advance Payment
`
`Request Form under Springs Medical’s provider number.
`
`45. On or about April 7, 2020, Novitas made an Advanced Payment to Springs
`
`Medical by remitting approximately $86,747.11 in the Official Springs Medical Account,
`
`which became available the following day.
`
`46. On or about April 8, 2020, upon the Advanced Payment becoming available
`
`in the Official Springs Medical Account and unbeknownst to Springs Medical and
`
`Individual 1, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH, without authority, electronically wire transferred
`
`approximately $92,000 from the Official Springs Medical Account to the Family Member
`
`Account, to which Springs Medical and Individual 1 did not have access.
`
`In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 669.
`
`COUNT TWO
`18 U.S.C. § 641
`
`The Grand Jury hereby realleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs
`
`47.
`
`1 through 38 of this Indictment as though fully set forth herein.
`
`48. On or about April 10, 2020, in the State and District of Colorado, and
`
`elsewhere, defendant FRANCIS F. JOSEPH did knowingly and willfully embezzle, steal,
`
`purloin, and convert to his own use or the use of another money or a thing of value greater
`
`than $1,000, that is approximately $31,782, from the United States Department of Health
`
`and Human Services.
`
`
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`12
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`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 13 of 20
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`Manner and Means
`
`49. As Springs Medical met the criteria under the Provider Relief Fund, on or
`
`about April 10, 2020, HRSA remitted approximately $31,782.20 in Provider Relief
`
`Payment to the Official Springs Medical Account to be used by Springs Medical to
`
`prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19.
`
`50. On or about April 10, 2020, unbeknownst to Springs Medical and Individual
`
`1, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH, without authority, electronically wire transferred approximately
`
`$31,782 from the Official Springs Medical Account to the Family Member Account, to
`
`which Springs Medical and Individual 1 did not have access.
`
`51.
`
`Thereafter, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH electronically wire transferred all or a
`
`portion of these monies into a separate account with which he made personal
`
`expenditures.
`
`In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.
`
`COUNT THREE
`18 U.S.C. § 1343
`
`52.
`
`The Grand Jury hereby realleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs
`
`
`
`1 through 38 of this Indictment as though fully set forth herein.
`
`53. Beginning on or about March 27, 2020, and continuing through in or around
`
`July 2020, the exact dates unknown to the Grand Jury, in the State and District of
`
`Colorado, and elsewhere, defendant FRANCIS F. JOSEPH having knowingly devised
`
`and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud, and to obtain money and
`
`property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and
`
`promises, and attempting to do so, did knowingly transmit and cause to be transmitted,
`
`
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`13
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`by means of wire communications in interstate commerce, writings, signals, pictures, and
`
`sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice.
`
`Purpose of the Scheme
`
`54.
`
`The purpose of the scheme was for FRANCIS F. JOSEPH to (a) unjustly
`
`enrich himself and others through the submission of a false and fraudulent PPP loan
`
`application; (b) conceal the submission of the false and fraudulent PPP loan application
`
`and the receipt and transfer of the proceeds from the fraud; and (c) divert proceeds of the
`
`fraud for his personal use and benefit.
`
`Manner and Means
`
`55. As part of said scheme, on or about March 27, 2020, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH
`
`opened the Unofficial Springs Medical Account, which he concealed and disguised the
`
`existence of from Springs Medical and Individual 1.
`
`56. As part of said scheme, on or about June 24, 2020, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH
`
`electronically submitted and caused to be submitted through interstate commerce a false
`
`and fraudulent PPP application in the name of Springs Medical to Company 1 (the
`
`“Springs Medical PPP application”), seeking a PPP loan in the amount of approximately
`
`$179,999, although FRANCIS F. JOSEPH had been previously terminated from Springs
`
`Medical by Individual 1. Specifically, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH was terminated because he
`
`misappropriated and took for himself funds that were provided to Springs Medical by
`
`various government agencies for the purpose of treating patients who were suffering from
`
`COVID-19.
`
`57. As part of said scheme, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH signed the Springs Medical
`
`
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`14
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`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 15 of 20
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`PPP application and falsely certified that the application and all information provided
`
`therein, as well as the supporting documents and forms, were true and accurate.
`
`58. As part of said scheme, in the Springs Medical PPP application, FRANCIS
`
`F. JOSEPH falsely represented himself to be the owner of Springs Medical. Among other
`
`things, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH falsely represented that he was “authorized, empowered,
`
`and directed” to borrow money, execute notes, and negotiate items on behalf of Springs
`
`Medical.
`
`59. As part of said scheme, in the Springs Medical PPP application, FRANCIS
`
`F. JOSEPH falsely represented that he supervised 34 employees with an average
`
`monthly payroll of approximately $72,000, although FRANCIS F. JOSEPH had been
`
`terminated from Springs Medical approximately two months prior to the application.
`
`60. As part of said scheme, in the Springs Medical PPP application, FRANCIS
`
`F. JOSEPH falsely represented that “the funds will be used to retain workers and maintain
`
`payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments, as
`
`specified under the Paycheck Protection Program Rule.”
`
`61. As part of said scheme, in the Springs Medical PPP application, FRANCIS
`
`F. JOSEPH falsely certified that Springs Medical had not received another PPP loan,
`
`although FRANCIS F. JOSEPH previously applied for a PPP loan with another lender on
`
`behalf of Springs Medical using Springs Medical’s Tax Identification Number.
`
`62. As part of said scheme, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH sought to conceal and
`
`disguise the fraud by listing the Unofficial Springs Medical Account to receive the
`
`proceeds of the PPP loan, although FRANCIS F. JOSEPH knew that the Unofficial
`
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`15
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`Springs Medical Account was not the official business account for Springs Medical and
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`did not otherwise receive payments or distribute payroll for Springs Medical.
`
`63. As part of said scheme, based on FRANCIS F. JOSEPH’s material
`
`misrepresentations as set forth in the fraudulent Springs Medical PPP application and
`
`supporting documents, Company 1, based in Fulton County, Georgia, approved and
`
`funded the PPP loan. On or about June 29, 2020, approximately $179,999 was
`
`electronically transferred to the Unofficial Springs Medical Account, which was maintained
`
`in Arapahoe County, Colorado, through interstate commerce, which FRANCIS F.
`
`JOSEPH then diverted for his own personal use and benefit, including a hotel stay in
`
`Jackson Hole, Wyoming and home improvements, such as a security system for his
`
`home.
`
`Execution of the Scheme
`
`64. On or about June 24, 2020, in the State and District of Colorado, and
`
`elsewhere, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH submitted and caused to be submitted a wire
`
`communication, to wit: electronic submission of the Springs Medical PPP application and
`
`supporting documents, from the District of Colorado, to Company 1, located outside the
`
`State of Colorado, in an attempt to execute, and in execution of the scheme, as described
`
`in paragraphs 54 through 63 of this Indictment.
`
`
`
`In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
`
`COUNT FOUR
`18 U.S.C. § 152(3)
`
`The Grand Jury hereby realleges and incorporates by reference paragraphs
`
`65.
`
`1 through 38 of this Indictment as though fully set forth herein.
`
`
`
`16
`
`

`

`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 17 of 20
`
`66. On or about November 30, 2020, in the State and District of Colorado,
`
`defendant FRANCIS F. JOSEPH knowingly and fraudulently made a false declaration,
`
`certificate, verification, and statement under the penalty of perjury, as permitted under
`
`Section 1746 of Title 28, in and in relation to a case under Title 11, In re: Springs Medical
`
`Associates, P.C., Bankruptcy Case No. 20-17026, by submitting Schedules of Assets and
`
`Liabilities and a Statement of Financial Affairs, in which the defendant fraudulently omitted
`
`to disclose all bank accounts maintained in the name of Springs Medical, including the
`
`Other Unofficial Springs Medical Accounts, and cash assets in the amount of
`
`approximately $241,774.85 deposited therein.
`
`Manner and Means
`
`67. On or about October 26, 2020, over six months after his termination from
`
`Springs Medical, unbeknownst to Springs Medical and Individual 1 and without
`
`authorization, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District of
`
`Colorado on behalf of Springs Medical. As part of the bankruptcy petition, FRANCIS F.
`
`JOSEPH signed a declaration under penalty of perjury representing that he had the
`
`authority to file said petition on behalf of Springs Medical.
`
`68. On or about October 29, 2020 and on or about October 30, 2020, over six
`
`months after his termination from Springs Medical, unbeknownst to Springs Medical and
`
`Individual 1 and without authorization, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH opened the Other Unofficial
`
`Springs Medical Accounts at Bank 3 in the name of Springs Medical with himself as the
`
`sole signatory.
`
`69. On or about November 5, 2020, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH submitted a request
`
`
`
`17
`
`

`

`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 18 of 20
`
`to Novitas to change the bank account information for receipt of Medicare payments from
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`the Official Springs Medical Account to one of the Other Unofficial Springs Medical
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`Accounts, ending in x1462. In the same request, FRANCIS F. JOSEPH represented that
`
`he was the sole owner and authorized official for Springs Medical. Following the request,
`
`on or about November 19, 2020, Novitas issued a Medicare payment for Springs Medical
`
`in the amount of approximately $241,774.85 to the Other Unofficial Springs Medical
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`Account ending in x1462.
`
`In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 152(3).
`
`NOTICE OF FORFEITURE
`
`70. Paragraphs 1 through 69 of this Indictment are incorporated herein by
`
`reference as factual allegations for the purpose of alleging forfeiture pursuant to the
`
`provisions of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 981(a)(1)(C), 982(a)(2) and 982(a)(7)
`
`and Title 28, United States Code, Section 2461(c).
`
`71. Upon conviction of Title 18, United States Code, Section 669, the offense
`
`alleged in Count 1 of this Indictment, defendant FRANCIS F. JOSEPH shall forfeit to the
`
`United States, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 982(a)(7), any and all of
`
`the defendant’s right, title, and interest in all property constituting and derived from any
`
`proceeds the defendant obtained directly or indirectly as a result of such offense,
`
`including, but not limited to a money judgment in the amount of the proceeds obtained by
`
`the defendant.
`
`72. Upon conviction of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641, the offense
`
`alleged in Count 2 of this Indictment, and Title 18, United States Code, Section 152(3),
`
`
`
`18
`
`

`

`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 19 of 20
`
`the offense alleged in Count 4 of this Indictment, defendant FRANCIS F. JOSEPH shall
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`forfeit to the United States, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 981(a)(1)(C),
`
`and Title 28, United States Code, Section 2461(c) any and all of the defendant’s right,
`
`title, and interest in all property constituting and derived from any proceeds the defendant
`
`obtained directly or indirectly as a result of such offenses, including, but not limited to a
`
`money judgment in the amount of the proceeds obtained by the defendant.
`
`73. Upon conviction of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, the offense
`
`alleged in Count 3 of this Indictment, defendant FRANCIS F. JOSEPH shall forfeit to the
`
`United States, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 982(a)(2), any and all of
`
`the defendant’s right, title, and interest in all property constituting and derived from any
`
`proceeds the defendant obtained directly or indirectly as a result of such offense,
`
`including, but not limited to a money judgment in the amount of the proceeds obtained by
`
`the defendant. If any of the above-described forfeitable property, because of any act or
`
`omission of the defendant:
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`a.
`
`b.
`
`c.
`
`d.
`
`e.
`
`cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence;
`
`has been transferred or sold to, or deposited with, a third party;
`
`has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the Court;
`
`has been substantially diminished in value; or
`
`has been commingled with other property which cannot be divided
`
`without difficulty;
`
`it is the intent of the United States, pursuant to 21 U.S.C. § 853(p) as incorporated by 18
`
`U.S.C. § 982(b), to seek forfeiture of any other property of the defendant up to the value
`
`
`
`19
`
`

`

`Case 1:21-cr-00083-RM Document 1 Filed 03/17/21 USDC Colorado Page 20 of 20
`
`of the forfeitable property described above.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`A TRUE BILL
`
`Ink signature on file in Clerk’s Office
`GRAND JURY FOREPERSON
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, by
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`NICHOLAS L. MCQUAID
`ACTING ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL

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