Miracle bleach: 4 from Wash., Ore. indicted on charges they sold chemical online as cure-all

SPOKANE, Wash. – Two people from Oregon and two from Washington have been charged with selling an ingredient for bleach online as a cure-all for arthritis, cancer and the flu.

An indictment unsealed in federal court in Spokane Tuesday charges 42-year-old Louis Daniel Smith and 38-year-old Karis Delong, both of Ashland, Ore., as well as 49-year-old Chris Olson and 50-year-old Tammy Olson, of Nine Mile Falls, Wash.

Prosecutors say they were involved in a business called Project GreenLife, which imported sodium chlorite from Canada, and that they sold the chemical online as a “miracle mineral supplement.” Buyers were instructed to mix it with orange juice or other source of citric acid before drinking it.

Mixing sodium chlorite with citric acid makes chlorine dioxide — a powerful bleach. It wasn’t immediately clear if anyone was injured by consuming it.

Charges include conspiracy, smuggling and interstate sales of misbranded drugs.

The Olsons were scheduled to appear in federal court Wednesday.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.