Edir Macedo Net Worth

$1.1 Billion

Wiki Biography

Edir Macedo Bezerra (born February 18, 1945) is a Brazilian religious leader and businessman; he is the owner and chairman of the second-largest television network in Brazil, Rede Record, since 1989 with its parent Central Record de Comunicação who also founded after he bought the network. Macedo was raised Catholic, but by 1970 converted to a Pentecostal. He founded with others the "Neo-Pentecostal" Universal Church of the Kingdom of God in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil in 1977.His rapidly growing religious movement and his teaching of prosperity theology have been a source of controversy. His views about other faiths, particularly Catholicism, are also controversial. In 1992, he spent eleven days in jail on accusations of charlatanism. There were several protests, with his religious followers camping in front of the place he was held (a police precinct) as he confirms it in his autobiography "Nothing to Lose".According to Forbes and Business Week he is continuously involved in scandals, mostly due to allegations that the UCKG illegally channelled donations of billions of US dollars intended for charity overseas, then returned the money to Brazil where, according to São Paulo's public prosecutor, there was evidence that it was used in the personal interests of the church leaders, including Macedo, being accused. There have also been official charges of fraud and money laundering. Template:As of Macedo was still under prosecution by US and Venezuelan authorities.In March 2013 Macedo was on the Forbes billionaires list with a reported US$1.1 billion.