HOUSTON — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Texas, Southern), published as received.

HOUSTON – A 66-year-old Houston physician has been charged with falsifying medical records which made potential transplant recipients ineligible for organ donations, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

John Stevenson Bynon Jr. has now surrendered to federal authorities and is set for his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena H. Palermo at 2 p.m. 

According to the indictment, returned Jan. 14, Bynon was Director of Abdominal Organ Transplantation and Surgical Director for Liver Transplantation at Memorial Hermann Health System’s Texas Medical Center in Houston. Under his care, patients were allegedly activated on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) liver transplant waitlist while awaiting an organ donation.

The charges allege that even though patients should have been able to receive donations through UNOS, Bynon made false statements in their medical records which rendered them functionally ineligible for a donation. Patients, their families, and other members of their medical care team, were unaware of the false information, according to court documents. Many patients allegedly remained ineligible for months without knowing they could not receive donor organ offers during that time. 

“Dr. Bynon is alleged to have betrayed the most sacred duty of a medical professional—to heal,” said Ganjei. “According to the indictment, he stole years and hope from those who trusted him most by falsifying records and preventing patients from receiving organ transplants. Rest assured, the Southern District of Texas will continue to seek justice for every victim in this case.”

“Ultimately, at the center of this case are vulnerable patients who hung their hope of survival on a nationally renowned surgeon now federally charged for manipulating their medical records,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Dr. Bynon is accused of manipulating the criteria of patients on organ transplant waiting lists, thereby allegedly manipulating the patients’ chance of survival. Today’s indictment makes it clear that the FBI will investigate allegations of patient harm regardless of how reputable and respected the practitioner is or the hospital system they work for.”

“Falsely manipulating organ transplant eligibility endangers lives and undermines the integrity of our health care system,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the  Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “The allegations in this indictment, if proven true, represent a grave betrayal of medical ethics and patient trust. HHS-OIG will work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that anyone who falsifies medical records to manipulate patient care is stopped, caught and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

The indictment further alleges that due to Bynon’s unilateral decision making and false statements, which were unknown to other care providers, patients continued receiving health care benefits, items and services that Medicare paid as if they were eligible to receive donor organ offers. 

Some of Bynon’s patients had dire health outcomes. The indictment alleges two others sought care at alternate facilities following the discovery of the alleged false statements and ultimately received organ transplants.

Bynon is charged with five counts of making false statements in health care matters. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine upon each conviction. 

FBI and DHHS-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherin Daniel and Suzanne Elmilady are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.