Shlomo Rechnitz is the Los Angeles-based, multi-billionaire owner of Brius, the largest nursing home company in California. In 1998, Rechnitz began his business career by selling supplies—such as latex gloves, adult diapers, and wheelchairs—to nursing homes with his twin brother, Steve. Together, they founded and operated TwinMed, LLC, and have grown it into a nation-wide distributor of medical supplies and services.
Launch of Brius
In 2006, Shlomo Rechnitz branched out from his supplies business by acquiring and operating nursing homes. He purchased his first skilled nursing facility, Las Flores Convalescent Home, in Gardena, CA. In the ensuing years, he bought dozens of nursing homes and assisted living facilities—often at rock-bottom prices through bankruptcy proceedings—to amass the largest collection of nursing homes in California. Today, he controls approximately 81 long-term care facilities across California, or roughly one of every 14 nursing home beds in the state. Though largely concentrated in California, Rechnitz’ long-term care empire now extends to other parts of the United States such as Nevada and Texas.
Business Holdings
Rechnitz reportedly controls his California nursing homes through a web of 130 companies, according to the Sacramento Bee. He has an ownership stake in many other companies, including a pharmaceutical company, two medical supply corporations, and a management services business.
Wealth
Rechnitz’ total wealth is not publicly available, although records from the Securities and Exchange Commission, the IRS, and other government agencies indicate he controls millions of dollars of assets and cash. As part of a bidding process to acquire one long-term care facility, Brius disclosed to the California Attorney General that it took in profits of $77 million in 2013.
Controversy
Brius has repeatedly been fined, sued, and sanctioned by local, state, and federal agencies for providing substandard care to nursing home residents. According to the Sacramento Bee, Brius-owned nursing homes were “tagged with nearly triple as many serious deficiencies per 1,000 beds as the statewide average in 2014.” Families and residents have filed multiple lawsuits against Rechnitz and Brius for allegations including wrongful death and elder abuse. According to allegations in one lawsuit Brius chronically understaffs and under-resources its nursing homes in order to maximize profits.
In addition to violating resident-care standards, Brius has also faced criminal investigations. In 2012 and 2015, the FBI raided two separate Brius nursing homes, with agents seizing records related to criminal investigations at both facilities (Sacramento Bee, 2015).
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