As part of a settlement for marketing "silver solution" as a treatment for COVID-19, televangelist Jim Bakker and his firm Morningside Church Productions Inc. were ordered to pay a total of up to $156,000 in compensation.
According to the consent judgment which was filed in a Missouri court on Tuesday, Bakker and those working with him are prohibited "from advertising or selling silver solution to diagnose, mitigate, treat or cure any disease or illness."
They are also ordered to "pay restitution of up to $115,766 to those Missouri residents that paid money to Morningside or made a contribution" to the church.
The refund checks must be paid within 30 days from the date of ruling.
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said in his Wednesday statement that, according to the consent judgment signed by Judge Alan Blankenship, Bakker "must return an additional $90,000 to consumers who purchased 'silver solution' between February 12, 2020, and March 10, 2020."
A number of consumers have already been reimbursed, and with the additional $90,000, the total amount of money returned would be $156,000, according to Schmitt.
It is possible, however, that the church may pay out less than $90,000, in which case, the difference between the refunds given and the $90,000 will be remitted to the Merchandising Practices Revolving Fund.
A civil penalty of $50,000 and the attorney general's expenses of $10,000 are also included in the consent judgment, both of which will be withheld on the condition that Bakker and Morningside Church comply with the agreement's conditions.
A joint statement from Bakker and Morningside Church Productions' attorneys, Derek Ankrom and former Democratic Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, stated that they are content to have the issue settled and that they are looking forward to "(continuing) the important work of Morningside Church," the Associated Press reported.
They said that the settlement contains "no findings whatsoever that our clients violated any laws or misled" people.
While acting as the televangelist's legal counsel, former Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said in a statement last year that "Jim Bakker is being unfairly targeted by those who want to crush his ministry and force his Christian television program off the air."
"The video recording of the Jim Bakker Show clearly shows the allegations are false. Bakker did not claim or state that silver solution was a cure for COVID-19. This case is about religious freedom," he added.
The backstory
Upon viewing a clip from Bakker's program that claimed silver solution as a treatment for the Coronavirus, the Missouri Attorney General's Office filed charges against him and Morningside Church Productions in March 2020.
According to the Christian Post, Bakker and his then guest Dr. Sherrill Sellman touted the product as being able to treat the coronavirus on February 12.
During the program, Bakker inquired of Sellman saying, "This influenza, which is now circling the globe, you're saying that silver solution would be effective?"
"Well, let's say it hasn't been tested against this strain of the coronavirus, but it's been tested on other strains of the coronavirus and has been able to eliminate it within 12 hours," Sellman said.
"Totally eliminate it, kills it. Deactivates it," she added.
According to the Daily Mail, U.S. authorities warned Bakker's business and six others in March 2020 to cease selling anti-COVID products.
A combined letter from the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission warned the businesses that their products for curing COVID-19 were "fraudulent," and that they also "pose significant risks to patient health and violate federal law."
Nixon said that after receiving the warning letters from the FDA and the FTC, Bakker promptly cooperated. He ceased selling silver solution in his program and ministry website.
