A senior Veterans Affairs official has been indicted on federal charges alleging he concealed thousands of dollars in gifts from contractors while overseeing one of the largest IT contracts in the federal government.
John H. Windom, 64, a member of the Senior Executive Service who served as Executive Director of the Office of Electronic Health Record Modernization, was charged with concealment of material facts, false statements, and falsification of a record or document, according to the Justice Department.
Prosecutors allege that between 2017 and 2021, Windom accepted — and sometimes demanded — cash, casino chips, gift cards and other gifts from contractors and subcontractors working on a $16 billion project to modernize the VA’s electronic health records system. Despite a legal obligation to disclose such gifts, Windom allegedly concealed them from the VA, executive branch ethics officials and the public, prosecutors said.
“As alleged, the defendant exploited his senior position for personal gain and concealed gifts and financial relationships that created serious conflicts of interest in the health care of our nation’s veterans,” U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro said in a statement. “Such conduct is not only a betrayal of the public trust — it undermines confidence in the institutions dedicated to serving those who have sacrificed for this country.”
The falsification of records charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Each false statements count carries a maximum of five years. All charges also carry potential financial penalties.
VA Inspector General Cheryl L. Mason said the indictment “sends a clear message” that her office is committed to holding accountable those who misuse positions of public trust for personal gain.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the VA Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Miller is handling the prosecution.
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