4 members of Florida family are sentenced for selling fake COVID-19 cure through online church

MIAMI (AP) — A Florida man and his three grownup sons have been sentenced Friday for promoting a poisonous industrial bleach as a pretend COVID-19 remedy via their on-line church.

A federal decide in Miami sentenced Jonathan Grenon, 37, and Jordan Grenon, 29, to 12 years and 7 months in jail, whereas Mark Grenon, 66, and Joseph Grenon, 36, every acquired 5 years, based on courtroom information. A jury discovered all 4 responsible in July of conspiring to defraud the USA and ship misbranded medicine. The Grenons represented themselves however declined to talk through the two-day trial.

Prosecutors known as the Grenons “con males” and “snake-oil salesmen” and stated the Bradenton household’s Genesis II Church of Well being and Therapeutic bought $1 million price of their so-called Miracle Mineral Answer. In movies, it was pitched as a remedy for 95% of identified illnesses, together with COVID-19, Alzheimer’s, autism, mind most cancers, HIV/AIDS and a number of sclerosis, prosecutors stated.

What the Grenons have been promoting was truly chlorine dioxide, officers stated. When ingested, the answer turns into a bleach that’s usually used for things like treating textiles, industrial water, pulp and paper, based on the Meals and Drug Administration. Authorities stated it’s the identical as consuming bleach and could be deadly.

A Miami federal decide ordered the church to cease promoting the substance in 2020, however that was ignored.

Jonathan and Jordan Grenon have been arrested in Bradenton, simply south of the Tampa Bay space. Mark and Joseph Grenon fled to Colombia, the place they have been arrested and extradited again to the U.S.

Moreover the fraud convictions, Jonathan and Jordan Grenon have been additionally convicted of violating federal courtroom orders requiring them to cease promoting Miracle Mineral Answer in 2020. U.S. authorities agreed to drop those self same contempt fees towards Mark and Joseph Grenon as a situation of their extradition from Colombia.