Florida family's shocking scheme: Selling bleach as COVID-19 cure from sham Church

A Florida father and his three sons are set to spend time behind bars after being convicted on fraud charges related to their audacious scheme of selling bleach as a COVID-19 cure from a fake church. Mark Grenon, aged 66, and his son Joseph Grenon, aged 36, initially fled to Colombia when federal charges were first announced against them. However, they were eventually extradited back to the United States and sentenced to the maximum term of five years behind bars.This sentence was agreed upon between the US and Colombia.

Meanwhile, Mark Grenon's other two sons, Jonathan Grenon, aged 37, and Jordan Grenon, aged 29, received more severe penalties, each being sentenced to 12.5 years in prison. Their charges included defrauding the United States by "distributing an unapproved and misbranded drug," as per New York Post.

Also Read |Kylie Jenner forced to delete pro-Israel post amid Hamas attack

Add WION as a Preferred Source

As part of their punishment, all four were ordered to pay nearly $2,000 in restitution. During the sentencing hearing, Assistant US Attorney Michael Homer said that the defendants had preyed on vulnerable populations.

Desperate pleas

Jonathan Grenon, a father of five, made a plea during the trial, requesting release to be with his family. He said that he had lost everything. His brothers echoed similar sentiments, but their pleas were denied.

The Grenon family's fraudulent scheme centered around the sale of "Miracle Mineral Solution" (MMS), a chemical solution that, when ingested orally, transformed into bleach.

Also Read |From where does Hamas acquire its weapons? Understanding the sources and transit routes

Typically used for industrial purposes like water treatment and textile bleaching, the Grenons claimed that MMS could treat, prevent, and cure COVID-19, despite the FDA never approving it for such use.

Fake Church, real scam

To evade government regulation of MMS, the Grenon family operated under the guise of the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, a fake house of worship they had created. This church served as a front for their fraudulent activities.

Watch |Israel-Palestine Conflict: 'We are at war': Israel retaliates after massive surprise attack by Hamas

In addition to their COVID-19 cure claims, the Grenons insisted that MMS could cure a staggering 95 percent of diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, AIDS, and more. To obtain MMS, patients had to make donations to the Genesis church, which were set at specific amounts, effectively acting as sales prices. This scheme allowed the family to amass more than $1 million.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.