Estevam Hernandes: was born 24 March 1954. He is married to Sônia Hernandes

Sônia Hernandes

Sônia Hernandes is a Brazilian pastor. She is one of the founders and leader of the Neocharismatic church Igreja Renascer em Cristo....

, and has three children.

He is pastor of the Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

ian church "Igreja Renascer em Cristo

Igreja Renascer em Cristo

The Igreja Renascer em Cristo or Reborn in Christ Church , which was founded in São Paulo in 1986 by Estevam Hernandes and Sônia Hernandes...

" (newbirth in Christ). This church started in an old pizza shop, beginning with 70 people, becoming a megachurch

Megachurch

A megachurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000...

 with more than 20,000 members and more than 1500 churches all over the world.

On January 8, 2007, he and his wife were arrested at the Miami International Airport

Miami International Airport

Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...

 for smuggling money in to the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The couple pleaded guilty to smuggling 56,467 dollars into the U.S. in luggage, a backpack and a Bible. On August 17, 2007 they were sentenced to five months in a Miami jail and five months under house arrest. They returned to Brazil in August 2009.