Bradenton church leader returned to Miami to face fraud charges

MIAMI (AP) — A Bradenton man accused of selling toxic industrial bleach as a coronavirus cure through his church in Manatee County has been returned to the United States after being arrested in Colombia.

Mark Grenon, 64, made his first appearance Thursday in federal court in Miami following his recent extradition, court records show. Grenon and his three adult sons were charged last year with one count each of conspiracy to commit fraud and two counts each of criminal contempt.

Grenon is the archbishop of the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, based in Bradenton. The church manufactured, promoted and sold chlorine dioxide as a “miracle mineral solution”, officials said. The Grenons claim the solution can cure a wide variety of illnesses ranging from cancer and autism to malaria and COVID-19.

According to a federal indictment, the solution was manufactured, marketed and sold by the Grenons. The indictment accuses the Grenon family of establishing a non-religious church in an “attempt to evade government regulation…and shield themselves from prosecution.”

The federal Food and Drug Administration also filed an injunction in April 2020 to stop brothers Joseph, Jordan and Jonathan Grenon, and their father, Mark, from selling the solution, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.

The FDA has urged the public not to buy or drink chlorine dioxide products sold as medical treatments.

According to court documents, the trial is scheduled to begin on September 6.

– Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.

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