Quincy Man Sentenced For Selling Lanyards As Coronavirus Cure

QUINCY, MA — A Quincy man was sentenced Tuesday in Boston federal court in connection with selling a pesticide-coated lanyard that falsely claimed to protect against COVID-19 and other viruses, said the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts in a news release.

Jiule Lin, 38, was sentenced to one year of probation and a $1,500 fine. He pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and sale of an unregistered pesticide in December 2020.

Beginning in March 2020, Lin listed an unregistered pesticide "Toamit Virus Shut Out," on eBay. The pesticide took the form of a card to be worn as a lanyard and claimed that the device would repel bacteria, germs, and viruses such as COVID-19 through the use of chlorine dioxide.

Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the EPA regulates the production, sale, distribution and use of pesticides in the United States and every pesticide must be registered.

A list of EPA-approved disinfectants can be found here.