The pastor convicted by the courts of Mato Grosso do Sul (MS) for religious fraud is David Tonelli Mainarte (featured photo). He promised to have superpowers to heal people, grow teeth, rebuild breasts and reverse blindness.
However, to perform these miracles, he demanded sums exceeding a thousand reais. He, who worked at the Quadrangular Church, in São Paulo (SP), and at the Missão Céu na Terra Church, in Campo Grande, was sentenced to one year in prison.
The complaint
The case that resulted in the pastor’s conviction occurred in 2016. At the time, a resident of Dourados was watching videos of the pastor on YouTube in which he promised miraculous healings.
Believing she could remove the burn scars on her legs, the woman covered the transportation, food and lodging costs for the pastor and his family so he could celebrate services at a church in Campo Grande.
The woman’s nephew, who was a pre-teen at the time, also gave the pastor the R$100 he had received from his father, hoping to get rid of a scar. They did not get the results they promised.
The complaint was filed in January 2025 by prosecutor João Linhares, after the conclusion of the civil police investigation.
False promises
For Judge Marcelo da Silva Cassavara, of the 1st Criminal Court, it was clearly proven that David Mainarte had promised to heal the scars.
“The accused acted with intent, that is to say in full awareness that his promises of healing were false (…). This Court does not restrict religious freedom, but it cannot allow someone to use the faith of others to obtain an undue benefit,” he said in the decision.
The pastor was sentenced to one year in prison, in addition to paying a fine. He must also provide services to the community.
The decision can be appealed. The column attempts to locate the pastor’s defense. The space remains open.
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