VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) — In impact statements, the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office and the defense heard Dr. He shared his arguments before the judge regarding the years-long case against Benny Benzeevi.

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

He pleaded no contest earlier this year to six felonies and two misdemeanors stemming from an embezzlement and money laundering case.

The accusations include conflicts of interest related to contracts and loans for personal gain that occurred while he was head of Tulare Regional Medical Center from 2015 to 2017.

“This ends with him selling $3 million worth of hospital property and using the money he raised to pay off debt to his company, which then went to him a month before the hospital declared bankruptcy and collapsed,” said Deputy District Attorney Trevor Holly.

This eventually led to the hospital being closed for a year.

Tulare dentist Dr. “It cannot be excluded that physical harm is caused to patients. In some cases, this results in death,” said Patricia Drilling. He continued: “They died out of greed and the need for power, putting profit above people.”

The investigation into the Benzeevi case lasted more than three years and cost prosecutors an estimated $1.5 million.

On Thursday, the prosecutor’s office requested a year in prison and compensation.

A check for $2.2 million was handed over by Benzeevi’s lawyer in court, but there was no time behind bars.

“The downside was, I wasn’t happy with the sentences given, and always have been,” Holly explains.

The defense said Benzeevi had already spent 120 days under house arrest, performed 600 hours of community service and was in good standing during his two-year probation period, which began when he entered his plea in February of this year.

“He’s a good person who meant well but took bad advice,” says Nina Marino, Benzeevi’s attorney.

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

One resident says the damage has made rebuilding difficult.

“Because a lot of people lost their jobs, and I believe there were people who suffered when this hospital was closed, and the wait times at other hospitals increased greatly,” said Xavier Avila, who also serves as Tulare Local Secretary. Health 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 $150,000 in compensation.

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