Amended criminal charges against former Tulare hospital managers and their one-time legal counsel have been filed by the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office in preparation for initial hearings scheduled for mid-February.
Streamlining Filings
Thirty-eight updates were filed beginning January 25 in the cases against former Tulare Local Health Care District (TLHCD) and Healthcare Conglomerate Associates (HCCA) CEO Dr. Yorai “Benny” Benzeevi, HCCA COO Alan Germany and attorney Bruce R. Greene. Collectively, the trio face dozens of criminal charges stemming from their alleged fraudulent mismanagement of the TLHCD, and will spend decades behind bars if convicted on all charges.
The filings are procedural, said DA spokesman David Alavezos, and are intended to provide consistency throughout the highly complicated cases against Benzeevi, Germany and Greene.
“There are no additional changes,” Alavezos said. “None of the charges have been deleted.”
The trio face felony charges including multiple counts of embezzlement, grand theft and money laundering, among a long list of charges.
Arraignments February 17
Alavezos said the DA’s amendments are a response to a demurrer–an action similar to a motion to dismiss the case–filed by attorneys for the defendants that will be considered by Judge Jennifer Shirk on February 17.
While none of the charges against the trio have been dropped and no new charges added, the prosecuting attorneys’ reasoning behind the charges has been clarified in the amendments to insure regularity.
“We just wanted it to be consistent throughout,” Alavezos said.
Arraignment hearings for Benzeevi, Germany and Greene will also be held that day, along with other hearings in the matter. The hearings are scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. in Department 3.
The judge will also determine on February 17 if former defense attorneys for Casey Anthony–a Florida woman accused and later acquitted of murdering her 2-year-old daughter–and disgraced former movie producer Harvey Weinstein will be allowed to join Benzeevi’s defense team.
