Former HCCA attorney indicted by Tulare County criminal grand jury

Bruce Greene, the former Healthcare Conglomerate Associates attorney, was arraigned on multiple felonies after a criminal grand jury decided to indict him, according to the Tulare County District Attorney's Office.

The counts, which were made formal on April 30, charge Bruce Greene with 16 felonies related to the administration of Tulare Regional Medical Center as part of Healthcare Conglomerate Associates (HCCA).

Greene, 72, appeared at his arraignment this week via Zoom. He pleaded not guilty.

“We thank the members of the criminal grand jury for their time and deliberations in considering the many complexities of this case,” District Attorney Tim Ward said. “Prosecutors are prepared and looking forward to advancing this matter to the finality of a trial.”

Greene's charges include conflict of interest, embezzlement, using an official position for personal gain, failure to timely file a statement of economic interest, conspiracy to commit a crime, grand theft, conspiracy to defraud another of property, grand theft by embezzlement of public money, misappropriation of public funds, and money laundering.

The crimes are alleged to have been committed in 2016 and 2017, according to prosecutors, and revolved around HCCA's controversial 2013-2017 administration of Tulare Regional Medical Center that led to patient deaths, a failed bond measure, recall elections, payrolls being missed, closure of the hospital, bankruptcy, and the eventual 2018 takeover and reopening by Adventist Health of the Tulare public hospital.

Earlier this year, former HCCA CEO Dr. Yorai “Benny” Benzeevi plead no contest to corruption charges. Co-defendant Alan Germany, the former HCCA CFO, pleaded guilty to charges of conflict of interest while running the hospital but avoided jail time after he agreed to pay $150,000 in restitution, serve 540 hours of community service and write a letter of apology to the hospital district for his conduct.

In January 2023, Greene's firm settled a civil lawsuit with the Tulare hospital district for $3 million.

Greene's pretrial hearing is scheduled for Aug. 2, with a tentative trial set for February 2025.