“We will NOT be participating in your UNCONSTITUTIONAL Orders, Summons, etc. Again and again I have written you all that … you have NO authority over our Church.”
Feds charge Florida man, sons with selling fake virus cure
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man and his three sons are facing federal charges that they illegally sold a bleachlike chemical mixture as a miracle cure for the new coronavirus and other diseases, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.
The substance marketed as Miracle Mineral Solution was sold nationwide through an entity called the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing in Bradenton, Florida, according to a criminal complaint.
A Miami federal judge in April ordered the self-styled church to stop selling the substance, but it was ignored.
Charged in the criminal complaint are Mark Grenon, 62, and his sons, Jonathan Grenon, 34, Jordan Grenon, 26, and Joseph Grenon, 32.
They are charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to violate the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and criminal contempt.
Records in Miami federal court Wednesday did not list attorneys for any of the Grenons.
They face a maximum of between 14 and more than 17 years in prison if convicted of all charges.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, the solution sold by the Grenons becomes a bleach when ingested that is typically used for such things as treating textiles, industrial water, pulp and paper.
Authorities said drinking bleach can be fatal.
The FDA said in a news release last August that “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 has not approved the solution for any health-related used. But the Grenons marketed it as not only a coronavirus cure but also a cure for cancer, autism, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease and AIDS, according to the complaint.
“Not only is this MMS product toxic, but its distribution and use may prevent those who are sick from receiving the legitimate healthcare they need,” Miami U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan said in a news release. “We will not sit idly by as individuals purposefully violate court orders and put the public in danger.”
The complaint says the Grenons initially agreed to abide by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Williams’ order that they stop selling the solution, then changed their tone in podcasts and emails to the judge herself.
“We will NOT be participating in any of your UNCONSTITUTIONAL Orders, Summons, etc,” one email from Mark Grenon read. “Again and again I have written you all that . . . you have NO authority over our Church.”
Florida is one of the nation’s hot spots for the coronavirus. Almost 10,000 confirmed cases were added Wednesday, bringing its total since March 1 to nearly 224,000. Almost 4,000 people have died, including 48 reported by the state Wednesday.
The state shows that 41 of the state’s 208 hospital intensive care units are at capacity and another 49 are at 90% capacity or greater.
The list includes hospitals with large ICUs such as Tampa General, Baptist Hospital of Miami and UF Health Jacksonville.
Some hospital systems say they have the ability to add beds if needed.
FDA Statement
Danger: Don’t Drink Miracle Mineral Solution or Similar Products
The FDA warns you not to drink sodium chlorite products such as Miracle Mineral Solution. These products can make you sick.
August 19, 2020
If you’re drinking “Miracle” or “Master” Mineral Solution or other sodium chlorite products, stop now. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has received many reports that these products, sold online as “treatments,” have made consumers sick.
The FDA first warned consumers about the products in 2010. But they are still being promoted on social media and sold online by many independent distributors. The agency strongly urges consumers not to purchase or use these products.
The products are known by various names, including Miracle or Master Mineral Solution, Miracle Mineral Supplement, MMS, Chlorine Dioxide (CD) Protocol, and Water Purification Solution (WPS). When mixed according to package directions, they become a strong chemical that is used as bleach.
Some distributors are making false—and dangerous—claims that Miracle Mineral Supplement mixed with citric acid is an antimicrobial, antiviral, and antibacterial liquid that is a remedy for autism, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, flu, and other conditions.
But the FDA is not aware of any research showing that these products are safe or effective for treating any illness. Using these products may cause you to delay other treatments that have been shown to be safe and effective.
The bottom line: Sodium chlorite products are dangerous, and you and your family should not use them.
MMS Consumers Are Drinking Bleach
Websites selling Miracle Mineral Solution describe the product as a liquid that is 28 percent sodium chlorite in distilled water. Product directions instruct people to mix the sodium chlorite solution with a citric acid, such as lemon or lime juice, or another acid before drinking. In many instances, the sodium chlorite is sold with a citric acid “activator.” When the acid is added, the mixture becomes chlorine dioxide, a powerful bleaching agent.
Both sodium chlorite and chlorine dioxide are the active ingredients in disinfectants and have additional industrial uses. They are not meant to be swallowed by people.
Miracle Mineral Solution Causes Severe Reactions
Drinking any of these chlorine dioxide products can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and symptoms of severe dehydration. Some product labels claim that vomiting and diarrhea are common after ingesting the product. They even maintain that such reactions are evidence that the product is working. That claim is false.
Moreover, in general, the more concentrated the product, the more severe the reactions. The FDA has received reports of consumers who have suffered from severe vomiting, severe diarrhea, life-threatening low blood pressure caused by dehydration, and acute liver failure after drinking these products. If you have had a negative reaction to any of them, consult a health care professional as soon as possible.
Health care professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:
- Complete and submit the report online.
- Download form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178. Source.
