Richard “Rich” Francis, CEO of the collapsed R&R Family of Cos., has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Florida, adding another layer to the continuing legal and financial fallout surrounding the logistics company.
Francis filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition Sept. 22 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. In the initial filing, Francis estimated both his assets and liabilities at between $10 million and $50 million and indicated he has between one and 49 creditors.
Francis also stated that his debts are primarily business debts rather than consumer debts.
Francis is not seeking bankruptcy protection as a small-business debtor under Subchapter V, according to the petition. The filing is a personal bankruptcy involving Francis and does not establish that R&R Express, RFX or other R&R-affiliated companies have filed for bankruptcy.
Many questions surrounding Francis’ finances and their connection to R&R’s collapse remain unanswered.
At the time of publication, Francis had not filed his detailed bankruptcy schedules and statement of financial affairs with the initial petition. A court deficiency notice identified several outstanding documents, including schedules detailing assets, secured and unsecured debts, income and expenses, along with a summary of assets and liabilities and the statement of financial affairs.
The documents are due Oct. 6 unless the court grants additional time.
Related: R&R Family of Cos. faces uncertainty amid exec departure, payment concerns
Those disclosures could provide a clearer picture of Francis’ assets, creditors, business interests and financial transactions.
The bankruptcy also intersects with litigation between Francis and Huntington National Bank stemming from R&R’s financial collapse.
Francis lists his residence as 550 S. Barfield Drive on Marco Island, Florida. The property is at the center of separate litigation brought by Huntington involving R&R Express Properties LLC, Francis and his wife, Kathleen Francis.
Huntington has alleged in that case that R&R Express Properties transferred the Marco Island property to Francis and his wife in December 2025 as R&R’s financial condition deteriorated. Huntington is challenging the transfer and has sought to preserve its ability to recover against the property.
Francis’ bankruptcy filing has already affected that litigation. A Florida state court placed the Huntington case on inactive status following the Chapter 11 filing because of the bankruptcy stay.
Huntington is also participating in the bankruptcy proceedings. Court notices identify the bank and its attorney among parties receiving notice of the Chapter 11 case.
The bankruptcy court has scheduled an initial status conference for Oct. 21. A meeting of creditors is scheduled for Oct. 27, when Francis is required to appear and may be questioned under oath. Creditors may also attend.
R&R’s operations began shutting down in January, leaving hundreds of employees without jobs and carriers and other freight-related businesses pursuing unpaid invoices.
Why it matters: Francis’ forthcoming bankruptcy disclosures could provide new information about his creditors, assets and business interests as litigation and unpaid claims surrounding R&R continue.
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