Houston Transplant Doctor Faces Federal Indictment Over Alleged Record Falsification
A prominent Houston transplant surgeon has been indicted on federal charges alleging he falsified medical records for five patients, deliberately making them ineligible to receive life-saving liver transplants. Dr John Stevenson Bynon Jr, who served as director of abdominal organ transplantation and surgical director for liver transplantation at Memorial Hermann Health System, was indicted by a grand jury last month on five counts of making false statements relating to healthcare matters.
Patients Denied Transplants as Records Were Altered
According to the indictment made public on Thursday, Bynon allegedly altered patient records between March 2023 and March 2024. Three of the five patients detailed in the indictment died while waiting for transplants they were allegedly made ineligible to receive. One patient was reportedly ineligible for approximately 149 days before dying in February 2024 under Bynon's care. Another patient died in December 2023 during surgery to receive a new liver after being ineligible for approximately 69 days.
A third patient who required "urgent liver transplantation" died just two days after Bynon allegedly entered false donor matching criteria that "severely restricted" or made the patient "functionally ineligible to receive a lifesaving donor organ offer." The two remaining patients were able to receive successful liver transplants only after seeking care at different hospitals.
"Betrayal of Sacred Duty" Says Federal Prosecutor
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei issued a strong statement condemning the alleged actions. "Dr. Bynon is alleged to have betrayed the most sacred duty of a medical professional — to heal," Ganjei said. "He stole years and hope from those who trusted him most by falsifying records and preventing patients from receiving organ transplants."
Patients, their families, and other members of their medical care teams were reportedly unaware that Bynon had allegedly made false statements in their medical records, according to court documents. The indictment and accompanying news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office did not specify a motive for why Bynon allegedly altered the patient records.
Defense Claims Medical Misunderstanding
Samy Khalil, Bynon's attorney, presented a vigorous defense following the doctor's initial court appearance on Thursday afternoon. Khalil told reporters that Bynon is a talented organ transplant surgeon who has performed over 2,000 transplants during his 40-year career. "Nothing he did was unlawful. Everything that he did was lawful and in good faith," Khalil asserted.
The defense attorney added, "We look forward to clearing his name in a court of law and educating, frankly, the government on the medical concepts that undergird this totally, totally misguided prosecution." Memorial Hermann Health System and UTHealth Houston, which employs Bynon, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the indictment.
Program Shutdown and Civil Lawsuits Follow Allegations
The transplant program at Memorial Hermann has faced significant disruption since the allegations against Bynon first became public in April 2024. The hospital system immediately shut down its liver and kidney transplant program following the initial accusations, only reactivating the program a year later.
In February 2025, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, which manages the country's organ donation program, declared Memorial Hermann to be a member not in good standing. This designation represents the most severe action the transplantation network can take and indicates to the public that a member has shown a serious lapse in patient safety or quality of care.
The families of several patients who died while waiting for liver transplants have filed civil lawsuits against Bynon in Houston civil court. These families are seeking answers about whether their loved ones were denied liver transplants due to Bynon's alleged actions. All of these lawsuits remain pending as the criminal case proceeds.
If convicted on all counts, Bynon faces up to five years in federal prison for each count of making false statements relating to healthcare matters. The case continues to develop as both the criminal prosecution and civil litigation move forward through the legal system.
