Houston Transplant Surgeon Indicted on Federal Charges for Falsifying Patient Records
Federal prosecutors have announced the indictment of a Houston doctor accused of falsifying medical records for five patients, rendering them ineligible to receive life-saving liver transplants. Dr. John Stevenson Bynon Jr., a prominent organ transplant surgeon, was indicted by a grand jury in Houston last month on five counts of making false statements related to health care matters.
Allegations and Impact on Patients
According to court documents, Dr. Bynon allegedly manipulated records while serving as the director of abdominal organ transplantation and surgical director for liver transplantation at Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston. The indictment, made public on Thursday, details that three of the five affected patients died, while two others managed to obtain liver transplants at different hospitals. Patients, their families, and other medical team members were reportedly unaware of the falsifications.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei stated, "Dr. Bynon is alleged to have betrayed the most sacred duty of a medical professional — to heal. He stole years and hope from those who trusted him most by falsifying records and preventing patients from receiving organ transplants."
Defense and Legal Proceedings
In response, Samy Khalil, Dr. Bynon's attorney, defended his client outside the federal courthouse after an initial court appearance. Khalil described Bynon as a talented surgeon with over 2,000 transplants performed in a 40-year career, asserting, "Nothing he did was unlawful. Everything that he did was lawful and in good faith. 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, Bynon's employer, have not immediately commented on the indictment. The U.S. Attorney's Office has declined to provide a motive for the alleged actions, with spokeswoman Angela Dodge stating no further comments would be made.
Timeline and Consequences
The indictment alleges that Bynon altered records for five patients between March 2023 and March 2024. Specific cases include:
- One patient was ineligible for a donor organ for approximately 149 days and died in February 2024 under Bynon's care.
- Another patient was ineligible for about 69 days and died in December 2023 during surgery for a new liver.
- A third patient, requiring urgent transplantation, died in December 2023, two days after Bynon allegedly entered false donor matching criteria that severely restricted eligibility.
Following the initial accusations in April 2024, Memorial Hermann temporarily shut down its liver and kidney transplant program, reactivating it a year later. In February 2025, the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network declared Memorial Hermann not in good standing, citing serious lapses in patient safety.
Civil Lawsuits and Potential Penalties
Families of several patients who died while awaiting liver transplants have filed civil lawsuits against Bynon in Houston court, seeking answers on whether their loved ones were denied transplants due to his actions. These lawsuits remain pending. If convicted, Bynon faces up to five years in federal prison for each count of false statements.
