Cigar lounge tied to Fresno hospital kickback scheme also hosted men’s bible study
The swanky cigar lounge used by executives of Fresno’s largest hospital system in an alleged patient referral kickback scheme recently hosted a men’s bible study group with financial backing from one of the scheme’s ringleaders.
The Fresno medical office the executives converted into a cigar lounge, referred to in a 2019 federal whistleblower lawsuit as “HQ2,” was where doctors and hospital executives were generously rewarded for participating in a kickback scheme that has rocked the region’s medical community.
In recent years, HQ2 found a second life hosting a weekly men’s bible study organized by HolySmoke USA, where members smoke cigars and discuss the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“There’s a ton of guys, they don’t go to church. But they would love to dig into the Word,” Eric Tienken, a local real estate investor, said in a video introducing HolySmoke. “So we’re like, what do you do in a bar, a cigar lounge or whatever? We always get into politics, the Bible, religion,” he said.
The religious nonprofit also hosts virtual bible studies and has chapters in other cities nationwide, but HQ2 at 7215 North First Street, Suite 105 is home to the “OG Fresno HolySmoke” chapter, according to the group’s website.
HolySmoke was not part of the federal investigation. But its founders have social and financial connections to Chris Roggenstein, the CEO of Physician Network Advantage Inc., one of the companies allegedly involved in the scheme. At least two of the bible study group’s founders are also members of a men’s donor circle that organizes a popular annual fundraiser for Community Health System.
Community Health System (CHS), the region’s largest private healthcare provider, and healthcare technology affiliate Physician Network Advantage Inc. (PNA), led by Roggenstein, agreed to pay a $31.5 million fine to settle allegations that they violated the False Claim Act for providing expensive wine, liquor, cigars and perks to physicians and medical executives for patient referrals.
In a statement, Michelle Von Tersch, senior vice president and chief of staff for Community Health System, said “Community has no direct ties to HQ2 or HolySmoke USA.” She said the whistleblower lawsuit makes claims that don’t reflect its standards as a non-profit health system, and that some elements in the complaint are inaccurate or incomplete.
CHS owns downtown Fresno’s Community Regional Medical Center and the Clovis Community Medical Center, as well as a health plan and physician network. PNA is a healthcare technology business formed and funded by CHS to support Fresno-area physicians’ adoption of the electronic health records platform used by Community, according to federal prosecutors.
PNA operated HQ2 with the assistance, funding, and knowledge of CHS between July 2014 and March 2022, according to the settlement.
Community Health System provided approximately $1.1 million to PNA to renovate its headquarters and construct a state-of-the art wine and cigar lounge — HQ2 — with private humidor lockers for cigar storage, a smoke ventilation system, and luxury wines and liquors valued at about $1 million, according to the whistleblower lawsuit.
It’s unclear what ties HolySmoke has to HQ2 or its tenant, PNA.
The day after the settlement was announced, Tienken, HolySmoke’s founder and CEO, announced on the group’s public Facebook page that the weekly bible study group would move to his home.
It’s unclear if the group will be returning to HQ2.
Tienken, an investor, developer and general contractor with Legacy Commercial, Inc., did not respond to requests for comment.
Property records with real estate website Regrid show HQ2 is owned and managed by First Properties Group, LLC. When reached for comment, a property manager confirmed PNA was the tenant for HQ2 but directed questions to PNA.
Roggenstein, who is named as a defendant in the whistleblower lawsuit, retired from a separate healthcare IT solutions company Forward Advantage in 2023. He is also the CEO of Forward Advantage Foundation, Inc., according to state records.
Forward Advantage Foundation gave two donations to HolySmoke, including a $25,000 donation in 2022 and a $50,000 donation in 2023, according to its 990 tax filings.
Roggenstein, and his spokesperson, Jill Wagoner, did not respond to requests for comment on the foundation’s donations to HolySmoke or the group’s use of HQ2.
HolySmoke USA launched in 2018 “by a group of cigar-smoking friends, who are also followers of Christ,” according to its website.
HolySmoke USA incorporated as a religious nonprofit in June 2020, according to filings with the California Secretary of State.
“The specific purpose of this corporation is promote gatherings of cigar lovers, to experience life change through God’s Word, in the time it takes to enjoy a good cigar,” according to its founding documents on file with the California Attorney General’s Office.
Several of its members and supporters are connected through the Presidents Club, a circle of donors made up of community business leaders founded in 2017 that organizes an annual “White Hot Summer Night” to benefit Community Health System’s cancer care at Clovis Community Hospital.
Tienken is a founding member of the Presidents Club, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Roggenstein is also a Presidents Club member, as of 2025, according to a fundraiser website.
This story was originally published June 23, 2025 at 8:30 AM.
