Catherwood LibraryILR School

Prosecutors in Brazil have filed a lawsuit to shut down an Evangelical Church with ties to the U.S., alleging a wide range of abuses including physical abuse of school children and extensive labor exploitation. Leaders of the Ministerio Evangelico Comunidade Rhema church allegedly coerced children and adults to work 12 hours at a time for very little pay, threatening them with social isolation and physical punishment. Last July, the Brazilian authorities opened several investigations following an AP press release reporting that World Faith Fellowship, the parent organization of Ministerio Evangelico Comunidade Rhema, was operating a pipeline funneling young Brazilians to a church in rural North Carolina, where they were forced to work under similar conditions. The civil case was filed on March 1 and seeks damages and back pay of $15,000 for each victim.