Florida Man and Sons Sentenced to Prison for Selling Toxic Bleach as COVID-19 Cure
By [Author Name]
Miami, FL – A federal judge in Miami has handed down prison sentences to a Florida man and his three sons who were convicted of selling toxic industrial bleach as a fake COVID-19 cure through their online church. Jonathan Grenon, 37, and Jordan Grenon, 29, were sentenced to serve 151 months in prison, while Mark Grenon, 66, and Joseph Grenon, 36, received a sentence of 60 months.
The sentencing comes three months after the Grenons were found guilty of conspiring to defraud the United States by distributing an unapproved and misbranded drug. They were also charged with contempt of court, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. The four individuals had represented themselves during the trial.
Prosecutors referred to the Grenons as “con men” and “snake-oil salesmen,” stating that their Genesis II Church of Health and Healing had sold $1 million worth of a product called Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS). The solution was falsely advertised as a cure for various diseases, including COVID-19, Alzheimer’s, autism, and cancer. They claimed it could treat 95% of known diseases. The Grenons distributed the toxic bleach to tens of thousands of people nationwide.
However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had not approved MMS as a treatment for COVID-19 or any other condition. The FDA explicitly warned consumers against using MMS, comparing it to drinking bleach and highlighting the dangerous side effects it could cause. These include severe vomiting, diarrhea, and life-threatening low blood pressure. The FDA received reports of hospitalizations, life-threatening conditions, and even deaths related to the consumption of MMS.
In 2020, a Miami federal judge ordered the church to cease selling the substance, but the Grenons ignored the order. During the trial, the jury saw evidence of the manufacturing of MMS in a dirty, rundown shed in Jonathan Grenon’s backyard. The shed contained large quantities of sodium chlorite powder, the primary active ingredient in MMS. Warning labels on the chemical drums emphasized the toxic and highly dangerous nature of the product.
The Genesis II Church of Health and Healing describes itself as a “non-religious church.” However, co-founder Mark Grenon has openly admitted that the church’s main purpose is to legalize the use of MMS and avoid legal consequences.
The prison sentences handed down to the Grenons serve as a significant legal consequence for their fraudulent and dangerous activities. The court’s decision sends a strong message that exploiting the fear and vulnerability of individuals during a public health crisis will not be tolerated.
Click [here](link) to view related media.
More from CBS News.