Igreja Renascer em Cristo

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The Igreja Renascer em Cristo is a church of Neo-Pentecostal denomination, which was founded in São Paulo in 1986 by Estevam Hernandes and Sônia Hernandes. The church has over 1,500 temples in Brazil and at least 7 in the US.

The founding couple, Estevam Hernandes and Sônia Hernandes, and their organization are under investigation due to money laundering, perjury, libel, exploitation of non-profit status, tax evasion and a number of other criminal actions. In January of 2007, both founders were arrested in Miami by the FBI for failure to declare over $56,000 in cash that they brought into the US. The couple was sentenced to five months in prison.

In September 2007, prosecutor Marcelo Mendroni announced that he was investigating soccer star Kaká's relationship with the imprisoned founding couple. On January 3, 2008, Kaká announced that his 2007 FIFA World Player of the Year trophy would be held for display by the church's main temple in São Paulo. On January 14, 2008, the church released a statement expressing its intent to sue prosecutor Marcelo Mendroni for "persecution" in relation to his attempts to question Kaká. Kaká has allegedly made donations of 2 million reais to the church.

[edit] References

• (Portuguese)Folha Online - FBI arrests founders of Renascer.
• (Portuguese)O Globo Online - Renascer threatens to sue prosecutor for persecution of Kaká.
• (Portuguese)O Globo Online - Kaká gives FIFA trophy to church
• (English)Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office booking sheet for Sônia Hernandes.