TULARE COUNTY, Calif. (FOX26) — The former CEO of Healthcare Conglomerate Associates (HCCA) was sentenced Thursday on felony charges, the Tulare County District Attorney said.

Yorai “Benny” Benzeevi, 62, was convicted of crimes related to public corruption, according to court documents.

As of February 2024, Benzeevi pleaded no contest to 6 felony counts and 2 misdemeanor counts listed below.

• Count 6 – Criminal conflict of interest (contract linked to the financing trial against Dr. Betre)
• Count 10 – Criminal Conflict of Interest (Related to Tulare/Southern Inyo Line of Credit)
• Count 18 – Criminal Conflict of Interest (Related to Dr. Benzeevi’s Loans to Southern Inyo)
• Count 20 – Criminal Conflict of Interest (Related to HCCA Loans and Promissory Notes to Tulare Hospital)
• Count 37 – Criminal conflict of interest (related to the Celtic rental transaction)
• Count 42 – Criminal Conflict of Interest (Related to Deed of Trust Filed Against Tulare Hospital District)
• Count 31 – Misdemeanor Failure to Timely Disclose Campaign Expenses
• Count 34 – Misdemeanor using official position for personal gain (related to refusal to recognize a former hospital board member)

The DA says Benzeevi was ordered to pay $2.4 million in restitution to Tulare Local Healthcare ($2 million) and Southern Inyo Healthcare District ($400,000), all of which were paid in full.

Benzeevi will also have to serve two years of probation, he has already completed 600 hours of community service and served time according to the DA.

Prosecutor Tim Ward said that although the office argued for a one-year detention sentence, it respected the court’s decision.

Although we argued for a period of detention, we respect the court’s decisions today. We now look forward to focusing our efforts on the final defendant in this case, Ward said.