Houston doctor charged with falsifying records to block liver transplants

Prosecutors allege Dr. John Stevenson Bynon Jr. made false statements to make patients ineligible for transplants, leading to three deaths.

Feb. 6, 2026 at 12:47am

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A Houston doctor has been indicted on charges of falsifying medical records for five patients, making them ineligible to receive a liver transplant, federal prosecutors announced. Dr. John Stevenson Bynon Jr. was indicted on five counts of false statements relating to health care matters, with three patients dying and two others able to get transplants at other hospitals.

Why it matters

This case highlights serious allegations of misconduct by a medical professional entrusted with patients' lives. If true, Bynon's actions could represent a major breach of ethics and a devastating betrayal of trust, with tragic consequences for vulnerable patients awaiting life-saving transplants.

The details

Bynon is accused of making false statements in his role as director of abdominal organ transplantation and surgical director for liver transplantation at Memorial Hermann Health System. Patients, their families, and other members of their medical care team were unaware Bynon allegedly made false statements in their medical records, preventing them from receiving donor organ offers.

  • The indictment alleges Bynon changed the records of five patients from March 2023 to March 2024.
  • One patient died in February 2024 after being ineligible for a donor organ offer for 149 days.
  • Another patient died in December 2023 during surgery to receive a new liver, after being ineligible for 69 days.
  • A third patient who required 'urgent liver transplantation' died in December 2023, two days after Bynon allegedly entered false donor matching criteria.

The players

Dr. John Stevenson Bynon Jr.

A Houston doctor indicted on five counts of making false statements relating to health care matters, accused of falsifying medical records to make patients ineligible for liver transplants.

Memorial Hermann Health System

The health system where Bynon served as director of abdominal organ transplantation and surgical director for liver transplantation.

UTHealth Houston

The university that employs Bynon as a doctor.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Nicholas J. Ganjei, U.S. Attorney

“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.”

— Samy Khalil, Bynon's attorney

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Dr. Bynon out on bail.

The takeaway

This case raises serious concerns about patient safety and medical ethics, with allegations that a trusted doctor betrayed his duty to provide life-saving care. It underscores the need for robust oversight and accountability in the organ transplant system to ensure vulnerable patients receive the care they desperately need.