Church Corruption: Is Kaka Involved?

Monday January 14, 2008

The Guardian

Kaka, the Fifa World Player of the Year, has been asked by Brazilian authorities to explain his link with leaders of an evangelical church who have pleaded guilty to money smuggling, a news magazine reported.

A judge wants to know what connection the Milan playmaker has to the Brazilian couple who were sentenced last year to nearly five months in prison after pleading guilty to smuggling more than $56,000 (£28,500) into the United States, the Carta Capital magazine reported.

No accusations have been made against Kaka. Brazilian police say Estevam Hernandes Filho and Sonia Haddad Moraes Hernandes, founders of the Reborn in Christ Church - an evangelical church with hundreds of thousands of followers - have been using the faithful's donations to buy mansions and horse farms in Brazil and the United States.

The deeply religious Kaka has said previously he makes annual donations to the church, estimated by Carta Capital to reach about $1m.

The judge, Marcelo Batlouni, sent a questionnaire to Kaka wanting to know the level of friendship he has with the Brazilian couple. Among the questions submitted to the Brazilian footballer is whether he used to visit the couple's home and whether he knew they had been arrested. The questionnaire, sent in September, has not yet been answered by Kaka, according to Carta Capital.

Kaka's spokesman said the player never received the questionnaire or any other contact from authorities. "He has never received any request from Brazilian authorities," said Diogo Kotscho, adding that the player should be respected and not judged because of his religious faith.