A former nurse at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Houston has been indicted for allegedly falsifying government records. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced that Christiana Ogbonnaya, a 54-year-old resident of Richmond, Texas, was arrested following an indictment unsealed on May 7.
The indictment alleges that while Ogbonnaya was on duty from July 26 to July 27, 2024, she made false entries in the VA’s Computerized Patient Record System. The charges claim she recorded observations of a male patient during her shift that did not occur.
Medical staff discovered the patient unresponsive in the early morning of July 27 and later pronounced him deceased.
If convicted, Ogbonnaya could face up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by the VA-Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Zenón-Matos is handling the prosecution.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a formal accusation and does not constitute evidence. A defendant remains innocent unless proven guilty through due legal process.