'Archbishop' Arrested Over COVID-19 'Cure'

Bad news for bleach drinkers: Your self-proclaimed "archbishop" is behind bars. Colombian officials have nabbed Mark Grenon and his son Joseph Grenon and accused them of selling a "miracle" drink that has already killed seven Americans, CBS News reports. The nation's top prosecutor said the Grenons were arrested in the town of Santa Marta for sending their "Miracle Mineral Solution"—really chlorine dioxide, a toxic bleach—to the US, Africa, and other parts of Colombia. Mark Grenon is the leader of a purported Florida church called Genesis II, which peddles the substance and claims it can cure nearly any illness, including HIV/AIDS, cancer, and, of course, COVID-19.

Back in July, federal authorities charged Mark and his three sons with dealing an unregulated, possibly dangerous substance. Hazmat teams searched the church grounds in Bradenton under federal order and uncovered 50 gallons of muriatic acid—which health officials warn can cause "severe corrosive injury"—along with 8,300 pounds of sodium chlorite, which can be unhealthy in large amounts. The US Food and Drug Administration banned the sale of MMS and told consumers of the product to "stop now." When the Guardian prompted Mark for a response, he said in part: "May God open your eyes Picklehead Ed that doesn't research the Truth or YOU ARE A PAID LIAR!" (Mark said he contacted President Trump about MMS right before Trump made an alarming suggestion.)