BANGOR – A key court appearance was postponed Friday for Dana McGovern of Calais, the owner of a Down East ambulance firm, who recently was indicted by a federal grand jury in Bangor for alleged financial fraud.

No official reason was given for the postponement of an initial appearance and arraignment for McGovern, who was scheduled to appear at 1 p.m. Friday before Magistrate Judge Margaret J. Kravchuk at U.S. District Court in Bangor.

Leonard Sharon, a Lewiston lawyer representing McGovern in the criminal matter, reportedly became ill and the hearing was cleared off the court calendar late Thursday, according to Daniel Lacasse of Calais. Lacasse is a lawyer for McGovern in civil matters connected to the case.

The arraignment date is expected to be set again this week.

No further details were available.

McGovern and the McGovern Ambulance Service are accused in a 214-count indictment handed up Nov. 16 of a widespread, complicated scheme to defraud the Medicare and Medicaid health benefit programs out of close to $1 million.