Brazilian Pentecostal leaders caught in a scandal

[Judi Lynn]

Source: International Herald Tribune


By Larry Rohter Published: March 19, 2007

SÃO PAULO: Only a few months ago, Estevam and Sônia Hernandes were on television preaching a gospel of material success and living a life to match.

But that was before they were arrested in Miami in January and charged with illegally smuggling cash into the United States, including $9,000 concealed in a Bible.

All told, the U.S. authorities seized $56,467 that the couple and other family members had hidden on their bodies and in luggage, according to the U.S. indictment. The Brazilian authorities, who have charged the couple with money laundering and fraud, are seeking their extradition.
(snip)

They have several churches in southern Florida and a home in Boca Raton, but they were stopped at customs because the Brazilian authorities had issued an alert in their names for "suspicion of money laundering and fraud related to Brazilian organized crime," according to an affidavit filed by an agent of the U.S. Bulk Currency Smuggling Task Force.
(snip/...)

Read more: http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/03/19/news/brazil.php

[donco6]

1. Oopsie.

And that's a biggie - transporting more than $10,000 into or out of the US. YIKES!

[sutz12]

2. I sure wish we could do that here...

Clean out all of the corrupt "Religious Leaders" that is.

[Orrex]

3. That reminds me

The Secretary of State is having breakfast with the President, when she mentions a news item.

"Did you hear about the Brazilian Pentacostals?" asks Dr. Rice.

The President slams his fork into his omelet. "Dadgummit, Condi," snarls the Commander in Chief. "I've told you before that there aren't that many Pentecostals in the whole world."

[Viva_La_Revolution]

8. ha!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Orrex]

12. nyuk nyuk nyuk

That joke keeps getting funnier!

[Viva_La_Revolution]

14. DU is the only place you can tell it...

and have it be fully appreciated.

:)

[UTUSN]

4. (I'm probably not welcome here, but) I know Latino/Pentacostals

There has been a defection from high church Catholicism to fundamentalist sects over the past couple of decades. Just an observation.

[TomInTib]

5. The Catholics go to the poor, then the poor go to the Pentecostals...

The Pentecostal Church will soon hijack much of Latin America.

And why in the hell would you not be welcome here?

[UTUSN]

6. Uh... Thanks for the welcome, but I can't say

:hi:

[B3Nut]

10. It has hijacked a lot of American evangelicalism

even though most evangelical megachurches are what one might call "pentecostal-lite." I used to go to couple churches many years ago that were pretty heavily pentecostal, one was a Word-Faith (the Name-It-And-Claim-It prosperity gospel folks) and another was Pentecostal Church of God. Let me tell you, they're way out there. The real tragedy is the number of people drawn in and then hurt by their doctrines. People will "claim" healing or "claim" that new job or whatever and when they get sicker or don't "get blessed" the preachers tell them it's THEIR fault because THEY didn't have enough faith. Said preachers still want their tithe, of course. Oh, and that's a REAL biggie. You MUST give that 10%, and it MUST be on the GROSS, not the net take-home! Otherwise God won't "rebuke the devourer (ie-Satan)" (using their words) and "open the windows of heaven" (their words again, from the book of Malachi.) It's a racket. And these teachings are infecting more "mainstream" churches as well.

Sometimes I wish there was a Hell for these preachers...

Todd in Cheesecurdistan

[xchrom]

9. it didn't help when john paul cut the feet from under the ''liberation theology'' movement.

pentacostals in latin america began to pomulgate the mystery of ''magic'' god -- a god who preached wealth -- and faith healing.

[David__77]

7. There is a sinister history to pentacultism.

Racism, brainwashing, the whole package.

http://www.larouchepub.com/other/1997/ahc.html

I don't approve of LaRouche, but this is a good overview of its role and origins.

[EFerrari]

11. Someone got caught laundering money in Miami?!

Looks like they forgot to bribe the right people.

[VegasWolf]

13. Drug dealer or Christian makes no difference to Miami banks! nt