Former head of Tulare hospital pays over $2M in restitution, pleads no contest to 6 felonies

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- In impact statements, the Tulare County District Attorney's office and the defense shared their arguments before a judge on Thursday afternoon in a Visalia courtroom on the years-long case against Dr. Benny Benzeevi.

Dr. Benzeevi is the man behind one of the most significant cases of corruption in Tulare County.

Earlier this year, he pleaded no contest to six felonies and two misdemeanors stemming from an embezzlement and money laundering case.

Charges include conflict of interest regarding contracts he entered and loans for personal gain, which happened from 2015 to 2017 while he was in charge of the Tulare Regional Medical Center.

"It ends with him selling $3 million of hospital property and using the funds he raised to pay a debt to his company, which then went to him one month before the hospital declared bankruptcy and collapsed," said Trevor Holly, Assistant District Attorney.

Eventually, this led the hospital to close down for a year.

"It cannot be overlooked that there was physical harm to patients. In some cases, resulting in the ultimate sacrifice of death," said Tulare dentist Dr. Patricia Drilling. She continued, "They died because of greed and the need for power, placing profits over people."

The investigation into Benzeevi's case took over three years and cost prosecutors an estimated $1.5 million.

On Thursday, the prosecution asked for a year in jail and restitution fees.

In court, a $2.2 million check was handed over by Benzeevi's attorney, but there was no time behind bars.

"The downside is, I was unhappy with the sentencing, and I always have," explains Holly.

The defense says Benzeevi has already served 120 days of house detention, did 600 hours of community service and has been in good standing during his two-year probation period, which started when he entered his plea in February of this year.

"He is a good person with good intentions and got bad advice," says Benzeevi's attorney, Nina Marino.

Although the funds will help the hospital expand, Adventist Health now manages it.

One local says the damage done makes it hard to rebuild.

"Because a lot of people lost their jobs, and I do believe that when this hospital closed down, there were people that suffered, and waiting times at other hospitals rose drastically," expresses Xavier Avila, who also serves as the Secretary of Tulare Local Health Care District.

Benzeevi's co-defendant, Alan Germany, took a plea deal last year that kept him out of prison.

The former CFO was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay a total of 150-thousand dollars in restitution.

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