Leaders of Organization that Sold Toxic Bleach as Miracle Cure Sentenced
The leaders of the Genesis II Church of Health and Healing have been sentenced for the role they played in selling toxic bleach as a miracle cure for COVID-19 among other ailments. A 37-year-old man and a 29-year-old man were sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for distributing a toxic chemical as a miracle cure, defrauding the United States government and contempt of court. Two others were sentenced for 60 months, the statutory maximum sentence for attempting to defraud the government.
The group manufactured, advertised, and sold a product they called Miracle Mineral Solution (MMS) which is a chemical solution containing sodium chlorite and water. When the solution is ingested orally, it becomes chlorine dioxide, a potent bleach used for industrial water treatment or bleaching textiles, pulp, and paper.
The defendants claimed that ingesting this chemical could treat, prevent, and cure COVID-19. The FDA and other regulatory agencies had not approved the chemical for any medical use. The FDA urged consumers not to purchase or imbibe the dangerous chemical as it was tantamount to ingesting bleach and had dangerous side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, and low blood pressure which all could be life-threatening. The FDA received reports that people who were duped into buying the substance required hospitalization, developed life-threatening conditions, and some died.
MMS was a cure for cancer before it was a cure for COVID-19
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the defendants marketed the substance as a cure-all for various conditions including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and AIDS. They managed to sell tens of thousands of bottles of the poison across the nation including right here in Florida. They sold the chemical under the banner of the Genesis II Church, which they described as a non-religious church. They used the entity to shield themselves from prosecution and avoid government regulation of the dangerous chemical. They managed to make over $1 million in profits from selling the chemical from their website.
Contempt of court
In addition to the fraud charges, the defendants were charged with contempt of court. The U.S. government had previously filed a civil case against the defendants related to their miracle cure. In that case, the U.S. managed to obtain court orders to halt the distribution of MMS to the general public. The defendants willfully violated that order and continued to distribute the chemical to the public. They further issued threats against the judge involved in that case and stated that if they were not allowed to sell the chemical, they would pick up guns and instigate a “Waco”.
Talk to a Tampa, FL Federal Criminal Defense Attorney Today
If you have created a toxic substance and marketed it as a panacea, then you will need the services of a Tampa criminal defense attorney. Call The Matassini Law Firm today to schedule an appointment and we can begin preparing your defense right away.
Source:
justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/leaders-genesis-ii-church-health-and-healing-who-sold-toxic-bleach-fake-miracle-cure
