This Florida man and his sons are now facing criminal charges for allegedly selling bleach as a cure to COVID-19 to tens of thousands of people.

The Florida-based family of Mark Grenon, 62, and his sons, Jonathan, 34, Joseph, 32, and Jordan, 26, supposedly produced, promoted, and sold their ‘Miracle Mineral Solution'(MMS) to thousands, CNN reports. According to the criminal complaint, the chemical solution contains sodium chloride and water.

In a statement, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida revealed that the men sold their toxic product under the cover of Genesis II Church of Health and Healing. They created this entity in a bid to avoid government regulation.

The Grenons have been charged with criminal contempt, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and conspiracy to violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

While selling their toxic solution, the men claimed it could prevent, treat, and cure COVID-19.

Federal prosecutors reported the family is accused of telling customers to orally ingest the dangerous chemical ‘which causes the solution to become chlorine dioxide, a powerful bleach’. This solution is typically used for industrial water treatment or bleaching textiles, pulp, and paper.

What’s more, the Grenons allegedly had previously marketed the product as a miracle cure for a plethora of other severe diseases and disorders. Some of the conditions the family claimed their product cures are cancer, Alzheimer’s, autism, multiple sclerosis, and HIV/AIDS.

Mr. Grenon and his sons allegedly sold tens of thousands of bottles of MMS nationwide.

MMS was never approved by the US Food and Drug Administration(FDA). However, they have received many reports of people requiring hospitalizations, developing life-threatening conditions, and even dying after consuming the toxic liquid.

Catherine Hermsen, an assistant commissioner of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, stated:

“The Genesis II Church of Health and Healing has actively and deliberately placed consumers at risk with their fraudulent Miracle Mineral Solution, and Americans expect and deserve medical treatments that have been scientifically proven to be safe and effective.”

Hermsen assured the FDA will continue their efforts in making sure such fraud sellers do not jeopardize the health of American residents during the coronavirus pandemic and in the future.

Genesis II Church of Health and Healing, the entity the Florida family used to escape government regulation, had already received a warning letter from the FDA in April. Additionally, the agency has also issued previous warnings that chlorine dioxide is extremely dangerous and must not be used for any health use.