In a stunning legal development, a father and his three sons from Bradenton, Florida, have been sentenced to 12 years in prison for reaping profits of $1 million by peddling harmful bleach as a supposed 'miracle cure,' falsely claiming it could treat COVID-19.
Mark Grenon, aged 65, along with his sons Jonathan, 37, Joseph, 35, and Jordan, 29, were convicted of conspiring to defraud the U.S. government and the FDA by distributing an unapproved and falsely labeled drug.
Jonathan and Jordan received 12-year prison terms for violating federal court orders related to the cessation of drug sales, while father Mark and his son Joseph were each sentenced to five years.
The Grenon family commenced the sale of Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS), a chemical solution containing sodium chlorite. When mixed with water and a citric acid activator, this concoction transforms into chlorine dioxide, a potent bleach.
The Grenons misleadingly promoted MMS as a remedy capable of treating, preventing, and curing COVID-19.
Their deceptive activities began in 2010 when they established a fictitious Florida church website, duping thousands of individuals across the United States. These sales persisted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Federal Drug Administration never sanctioned MMS for COVID-19 treatment or any other purpose, vehemently urging consumers to refrain from buying or using it due to its harmful nature. Consumption of MMS equated to ingesting bleach, potentially resulting in severe vomiting, diarrhea, and life-threatening low blood pressure.
In April 2020, federal authorities intervened as the Grenons continued to defy FDA directives to cease distributing the dangerous substance. This defiance ultimately led to criminal charges and a raid on their Bradenton residence, where investigators uncovered loaded firearms, nearly 10,000 pounds of sodium chlorite powder, and thousands of MMS bottles.
While Jonathan and Jordan were apprehended in Bradenton, Joseph fled to Colombia, later being extradited by Colombian authorities.
During their July trial, the Grenons chose to represent themselves, remaining silent throughout the proceedings until the jury's verdict. At that point, Joseph stated their intention to appeal.
Prosecutors painted a picture of the Grenons as scam artists who employed the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing website as a front to defraud consumers and the U.S. government. They managed to sell tens of thousands of bottles of MMS nationwide, including in South Florida.
During the trial, evidence included images and video footage of a rundown shed in Jonathan Grenon's backyard, serving as the site where they produced MMS. The visuals revealed numerous blue chemical drums containing nearly 10,000 pounds of sodium chlorite powder, thousands of MMS bottles, and various items associated with the creation and distribution of MMS.
These drums carried warning labels, emphasizing their toxic, flammable, and highly dangerous nature if consumed.
The Grenons used video presentations to lure customers, promoting MMS as a cure for 95 percent of known diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and leukemia. The FDA had never sanctioned MMS for any purpose.
The fraud extended to the establishment of the Genesis II Church, designed to evade government regulation and legal consequences. This fake church allowed them to demand 'donations' for MMS, even though these 'donations' were set at specific dollar amounts, effectively constituting sales prices.
Mark Grenon himself acknowledged that Genesis had nothing to do with religion but was created to legalize MMS usage and avoid legal repercussions. The Grenons began manufacturing the solution in a backyard shed long before the COVID-19 pandemic, and Mark Grenon had faced scrutiny in a 2016 ABC 20/20 exposé, yet he continued to market the product for four more years.
The consequences of their actions may have resulted in multiple deaths over the years, with reports of hospitalizations, life-threatening conditions, and even fatalities reported to the FDA.
This criminal case, initiated in April 2020, marked Florida's first pandemic-related enforcement action.
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