Florida Men Arrested in Colombia for Selling Bleach as COVID-19 Cure

By Mary Anne R. First Posted: Aug 13, 2020 05:13 AM EDT

Colombian officials said they have arrested two Florida men wanted in the United States on charges of illegally selling a bleach-like chemical as a "cure" for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

On Tuesday, the Colombian prosecutor's office said Mark Grenon and his son, Joseph Grenon had been arrested in the beach town of Santa Marta.

Authorities said the Grenons were shipping their fake COVID-19 cure as a "Miracle Mineral Solution," which consists of chlorine dioxide.

The two men have clients in the United States, Colombia, and Africa. Around seven Americans had died from using the fake COVID-19 cure.

The Grenons

Mark is the archbishop of the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing based in Bradenton, Florida.

The church focused on the use of the toxic chemical as it claims that it can cure various diseases such as cancer, autism, malaria, and now COVID-19.

According to a CBS Local news, the church's website described Genesis as a "non-religious church," and Mark has repeatedly acknowledged that Genesis has nothing to do with religion. Mark co-founded Genesis.

The Hazmat teams found 50 gallons of muriatic acid, around 22 gallons of the finished faked COVID-19 cure and 8,300 pounds of sodium chlorite at the church location.

In April, a Miami federal judge ordered that the self-proclaimed church stop selling the substance, but it was unheeded. Mark was also reported writing emails to the said judge, saying that they will not follow the government's orders.

His emails noted that officials have no authority over their church. The organization also had operations in Mexico, Australia, and other countries.

Writes to Trump

Mark made headlines in April after taking credit for President Donald Trump's suggestion of injecting disinfectants into people's lungs.

Mark said he had written Trump a letter promoting the use of the substance to kill 99 percent of the pathogens in the body. He added that it could get rid of coronavirus in the body.

However, it is still unclear if there is an actual connection between Trump's claims of using the treatment and Mark's letter, according to a New York Daily News report.

Federal Criminal Complaint

Last month, a federal criminal complaint was filed against Mark, 62, and his sons, Joseph, 32; Jonathan, 34; and Jordan, 26, for conspiracy to defraud the U.S.

The complaint also includes conspiracy to violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and criminal contempt. There were no records in Miami federal court of attorneys for any of the Grenons.

If found guilty, they could face between 14 and more than 17 years of a prison sentence.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the solution sold by the Grenons becomes a bleach after being ingested. Bleach is usually used for bleaching textiles, water, pulp, and paper. The FDA noted that drinking it can be fatal.

"Ingesting these products is the same as drinking bleach. Consumers should not use these products, and parents should not give these products to their children for any reason," the FDA said in a news release.