Florida Man and Sons Found Guilty of Selling Fake COVID-19 Cures Through Online Church
A Florida man who runs an online church has been convicted of fraud along with three of his adult sons for marketing a poisonous bleach concoction that they claim can cure around 95% of the world's diseases, including COVID-19.
Mark Grenon, 65, was charged with conspiring to defraud the US and deliver misbranded drugs, along with his sons, Jonathan Grenon (37), Joseph Grenon (35), and Jordan Grenon (29). The family chose to represent themselves in court but did not deliver any opening statements to defend themselves.
ABC-7's Eyewitness News has been investigating the family since 2016 when they held a seminar for a so-called "cure" branded as "Miracle Mineral Solution." As the pandemic hit, they started marketing it as a COVID-19 cure as well.
However, prosecutors called them "con men" and "snake-oil salesmen" in court as they used their fake church to market their fake COVID-19 cure, which the Grenons claimed was a "religious sacrament."
In videos, the family claimed that their cure, also known as MMS, can cure not just COVID-19 but also Alzheimer's, autism, brain cancer, HIV/AIDS, and multiple sclerosis. However, it was found that instead of curing people, their so-called "Miracle Mineral Solution" is actually toxic to the human body.
Florida Man's Fake COVID-19 Cure Just a Bleach Mixture That Would Kill Those Taking It
Florida man Mark Grenon and his sons may have claimed that their "cure" can treat 95% of all diseases, but experts found that what they were selling was actually chlorine dioxide. According to the Associated Press, when ingested, the solution "becomes a bleach that is typically used for such things as treating textiles, industrial water, pulp, and paper."
A federal judge in Miami ordered the family and their online church to stop selling the fake COVID-19 cure back in 2020, though this order was ignored, prompting authorities to take action against the Florida man.
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Two sons, Jonathan and Jordan Grenon, were arrested by authorities in Bradenton, Florida, which is located south of the Tampa Bay area. However, father Mark and middle son Joseph fled the US and hid in Colombia, where they were arrested and extradited back to the US.
Aside from their fraud convictions, Jonathan and Jordan Grenon were also convicted of violating federal court orders. This was in relation to their ignoring the 2020 court orders to stop selling their fake COVID-19 cure.
FDA Continues Warning Against Fake COVID-19 Cures
Since the pandemic, fake COVID-19 cures have popped up, and this was made worse when then-President Donald Trump endorsed ivermectin as a cure. He also suggested that the public inject bleach, which many of his followers fatally did.
The FDA's official website is currently advising consumers against these false cures, with tips in identifying if a cure can be fake or not. These include "products that claim to treat a wide range of diseases" like MMS and any therapy claimed as a "quick fix."
The FDA also pointed out that personal testimonials are no substitute for scientific evidence and warned the public that miracle cures that "claim scientific breakthroughs or contain secret ingredients, are likely a hoax."
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This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
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