Brazil charges church leaders with embezzling millions from poor
Three leaders of Universal Church of the Kingdom of God accused of laundering cash through offshore bank accounts
Three leading members of one of Brazil's most powerful churches have been accused of laundering millions in church donations and using worshippers' money for personal gain.
The charges, unveiled by São Paulo's public prosecutor, relate to 404m reals (£150m) allegedly obtained from mostly impoverished churchgoers by leaders at Brazil's Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.
The money was subsequently channelled out of the country via a network of offshore bank accounts and money changers, federal prosecutors claimed.
Luís Martins de Oliveira, the prosecutor behind the case, claimed followers were tricked into handing over money to the church through "false promises and threats that spiritual and economic assistance would only be bestowed upon those who made financial sacrifices for the church".
Prosecutors claim that although the church claimed to have received around £1.85bn in donations between 2003 and 2006, the actual sum could be much higher.
The charges also allege the church opened two offshore accounts in the early 1990s, in the Cayman Islands and in Jersey, to move donations out of the country.
Church leaders promote "prosperity theology" – through which committed believers are told their faith and regular, generations donations can help them achieve material wealth.
But corruption scandals, including claims that donations were used to buy luxury goods and property, have earned the church many critics.
The church owns one of Brazil's top media outlets and "temples" in Europe, the US, Africa and Asia.
The bishop's blog is written in English, French and Spanish as well as his native Portuguese. With an estimated personal fortune of at least £1.3bn, Macedo leads the charge in promoting "prosperity theology".
The church is currently splashing out on a replica of Solomon's Temple in São Paulo that will cost an estimated £130m.
The "mega-church" will have space for 10,000 worshippers and will house a replica of the Ark of the Covenant.
Three leaders of Universal Church of the Kingdom of God accused of laundering cash through offshore bank accounts
Three leading members of one of Brazil's most powerful churches have been accused of laundering millions in church donations and using worshippers' money for personal gain.
The charges, unveiled by São Paulo's public prosecutor, relate to 404m reals (£150m) allegedly obtained from mostly impoverished churchgoers by leaders at Brazil's Universal Church of the Kingdom of God.
The money was subsequently channelled out of the country via a network of offshore bank accounts and money changers, federal prosecutors claimed.
Luís Martins de Oliveira, the prosecutor behind the case, claimed followers were tricked into handing over money to the church through "false promises and threats that spiritual and economic assistance would only be bestowed upon those who made financial sacrifices for the church".
Prosecutors claim that although the church claimed to have received around £1.85bn in donations between 2003 and 2006, the actual sum could be much higher.
The charges also allege the church opened two offshore accounts in the early 1990s, in the Cayman Islands and in Jersey, to move donations out of the country.
Church leaders promote "prosperity theology" – through which committed believers are told their faith and regular, generations donations can help them achieve material wealth.
But corruption scandals, including claims that donations were used to buy luxury goods and property, have earned the church many critics.
The church owns one of Brazil's top media outlets and "temples" in Europe, the US, Africa and Asia.
The bishop's blog is written in English, French and Spanish as well as his native Portuguese. With an estimated personal fortune of at least £1.3bn, Macedo leads the charge in promoting "prosperity theology".
The church is currently splashing out on a replica of Solomon's Temple in São Paulo that will cost an estimated £130m.
The "mega-church" will have space for 10,000 worshippers and will house a replica of the Ark of the Covenant.
