A Florida father and three adult sons found guilty on all charges They falsely claimed that toxic industrial-strength bleach, sold as a “miracle” solution through false churches, could cure HIV, autism, cancer, COVID-19, and other serious ailments.
on wednesday, The Miami jury took only 30 minutes According to the Miami Herald, it was to return the guilty verdict against the so-called “Bleach Church” family. The trial started on Monday.
A 12-member jury found Mark Glennon, 65, and his sons Jonathan, 37, Joseph, 35, and Jordan, 29, all guilty of conspiring to deceive the United States by distributing an unapproved counterfeit drug. The drug in question is Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS), which is consumed as chlorine dioxide, an industrial bleaching agent used to bleach paper products. Conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Additionally, Jordan and Jonathan Glennon were found guilty of two criminal contempt charges for violating a federal court order to stop the sale of MMS in 2020. This conviction carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
Mark and his surviving son Joseph fled to Colombia in 2020 after being charged with similar contempt charges. The charges will be dropped in 2022 as part of an extradition agreement, according to the Herald, and he will be charged only with conspiracy to commit fraud.
During the trial, federal prosecutors described the family as “scammers” and “snake oil salesmen” who tried to circumvent federal law by selling dangerous MMS products through a secular “church” called the Genesis II Health and Cure Church, based in Bradenton, Florida. They called themselves “bishops” and sold MMS as a “sacrament” in exchange for “donations” to the church. Meanwhile, the family has claimed their toxic solution can treat a variety of serious conditions, including cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, autism, malaria, hepatitis, Parkinson’s, herpes, HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. according to the indictment.
In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration warned the public about MMS, saying MMS Reports of People Suffering Life-Threatening Conditions After drinking toxic liquids. In 2020, authorities finally received a court order to force them to stop selling MMS, but the family ignored the order before their arrest.
Prosecutors claimed the family made more than $1 million from selling tens of thousands of MMS bottles, which they began in 2010.
In closing arguments at the trial this week, federal prosecutor John Shipley told jurors, “You can’t break the law by setting up a false church.”
Similarly, U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga told jurors Wednesday that your Glennons cannot use the First Amendment, specifically religious freedom, as a defense to selling MMS because the church is not an actual religious organization. As Ars previously reported, Genesis’ now-defunct website called their organization a “secular church” “founded not for the purpose of worship but for the service of humanity.”
The Glennons attended a short trial earlier this week, but did not speak during the trial as it appeared to be part of a protest. Only after the guilty verdict was read out did Joseph, one of the Glennonists, speak out, saying, “We will appeal.”
Their sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 6.
