Charter school operator sentenced to prison as industry group fights on his behalf
Annie Gilbertson/KPCC
Judge Stephen Marcus complained that there were far to many lawyers involved. A total of six spoke during Friday's sentencing hearing.
At the end of a four hour hearing, a Los Angeles judge sentenced the founder of a San Fernando Valley charter school on Friday to 4 years and 8 months in state prison for embezzling school funds, money laundering and filing a false tax return. His wife, and co-founder, received 45 days in the county jail, probation and community service.
The case was unusual - in part because the California Charter School Association has been heavily involved and spent nearly the entire four hours Friday arguing that a jury's conviction of Yevgency "Eugene" Selivanov and Tatyana Berkovich ought to be thrown out.
"Certain money that goes to charter schools at some point no longer becomes charter schools," said defense attorney Jeffrey Rutherford, citing what he said is the California Charter School Association's position. "That these charter schools are not considered districts."
An investigation by the L.A. District Attorney's office found that Selivanov and Berkovich bought personal items and teacher gifts from the checking account of Ivy Academia Charter Schools with campuses in Woodland Hills, Winnetka, West Hills and Chatsworth. Selivanov and Berkovich owned the facility where the school was housed and hiked the rent up $25,000 per year. The couple also lent money to the
