Former Tulare hospital CEO Benny Benzeevi will avoid prison time following a plea deal with prosecutors in Tulare County’s biggest white collar criminal prosecution, although he has been ordered to pay millions of dollars in restitution.
Benzeevi’s sentencing brings to an end the multi-year case against him, alleging corruption and embezzlement, among other crimes. .
The big picture: Benzeevi has been sentenced to pay $2.4 million – $2 million to Tulare Local Healthcare District and $400,000 to Southern Inyo Healthcare District.
- The Tulare County District Attorney’s Office said Benzeevi has already paid the restitution in full, prior to his sentencing.
- Benzeevi was also sentenced to two years probation and 600 hours of community service, which has already been completed.
- The DA’s office had argued for a one-year sentence in custody, as well as the restitution and community service.
What they’re saying: “As I stated at the time of the plea, our focus was to financially restore the losses caused by the defendant while having him admit his guilt,” Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward said in a statement. “I believe that goal has been met – $2.4 million dollars in restitution has been returned to the victims in Tulare and Inyo and the defendant is a convicted felon.”
- Ward continued, “However, we cannot forget the human and extremely personal toll the defendant’s actions took on the community. Though we advocated for time in custody, we respect the court’s decisions today. We now look forward to focusing our efforts on the remaining defendant in this case.”
The backstory: Benzeevi accepted a plea deal in February, pleading no contest to six felonies and two misdemeanors.
- He had been charged with 40 felonies and six misdemeanors for his role as CEO of Tulare Regional Medical Center from 2014 to 2017.
Zoom out: Benzeevi is the second HCAA executive to take a plea deal. Former HCCA CFO Alan Germany agreed to a plea deal last December which also keeps him out of jail.
- Former HCCA attorney Bruce Greene appears to be headed to trial. He faces charges of conflict of interest, grand theft, conspiracy, money laundering and multiple counts of embezzlement by a public officer.
