The Brazilian midfielder Kaka and his relationship with the
leaders of the Apostolic Renascer Church, Estevam Hernandes Filho
and Sonia Haddad Moraes Hernandes is being investigated. The news
of the investigation was made public on Saturday.
The attorney general of the 1st precinct of Vara Criminal in Sao
Paulo, Marcelo Batlouni Mendroni, claimed that he made an official
request to the administration of the player's current team, Milan,
on September 14. Since then, Mendroni has not received a response
from the team or the player himself.
The personal relationship between Kaka and the leaders of the
church, also husband and wife, is being targeted by the police. The
main reason for the investigation and suspicion is due to the
tithing that the player pays to the church, which is estimated to
be close to US$ 1 million.
According to Mendroni, a few of the questions he would like to
ask the player are: "what is your level of friendship with the
accused? Do the accused frequent your house in Brazil or Italy? Do
you frequent the house of the accused in Brazil or the United
States? Since the 31st of July of 2006 when the couple was first
accused of money laundering, how many times has the couple been to
your home? Are you aware of the fact that the couple has been
condemned to prison? During their time of parole from prison, did
the couple spend time at your house in Brazil or Italy?"
Estevam and Sonia Hernandes were caught by the police in the
United States for the crimes of smuggling money and for conspiracy
to launder money. Since their sentence in August of 2007, the
couple was freed on a conditional parole.
Estevam was liberated from his parole on the 29th of December
while Sonia completed her sentence of house arrest. Sonia is due to
appear in front of the Brazilian courts where she is expected to be
sentenced to an additional 140 days of house arrest.
(Xinhua News Agency January 13, 2008)