Four Florida family members convicted of selling counterfeit COVID-19 medicine through online church.
MIAMI — Four members of a Florida family were convicted on Wednesday for selling toxic industrial bleach as a counterfeit COVID-19 cure through their online church.
A federal jury in Miami found Mark Grenon, 65, and his sons, Jonathan, 37, Joseph, 35, and Jordan, 29, guilty of conspiring to defraud the United States and delivering drugs under the wrong name, according to court records. This charge carries up to five years in prison. Their sentencing is set for October 6.
The Grenons represented themselves but refused to speak during the two-day trial. After the jurors delivered their verdict, Joseph Grenon said they would appeal.
Prosecutors called the Grenons “swindlers” and “snake oil dealers” and said the Bradenton family-owned Genesis II Church of Health and Healing sold their so-called “Miraculous Mineral Solution” for $1 million. Prosecutors said it was presented in videos as a cure for 95% of known diseases, including COVID-19, Alzheimer’s, autism, brain cancer, HIV/AIDS and multiple sclerosis.
What the Grenons were selling was actually chlorine dioxide, officials said. When ingested, the solution turns into bleach, which is commonly used to treat textiles, process water, pulp and paper, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Authorities said it was the same as drinking bleach and could be fatal.
A Miami federal judge ordered the church to stop selling the substance in 2020, but the decision was ignored.
Jonathan and Jordan Grenon were arrested in Bradenton, south of the Tampa Bay area. Mark and Joseph Grenon fled to Colombia, where they were arrested and extradited back to the United States.
In addition to the fraud charges, Jonathan and Jordan Grenon were also found guilty of violating federal court orders requiring them to stop selling Miracle Mineral Solution in 2020. US authorities have agreed to drop the same contempt charges against Mark and Joseph Grenon as a condition of their extradition from Colombia.
