77 radio stations, farms in Acre and Paraguay and a 9-bedroom Orlando mansion: inside the empire of Ratinho, which may be worth R$1 billion

Ratinho became famous shouting on SBT's stage, but most of Carlos Roberto Massa's fortune comes from far away from the studios. Estimates vary widely: CARAS Brasil has cited around R$530 million and, more recently, a figure that could exceed R$1 billion; the outlet BM&C News, quoted by Terra, put it at about US$125 million. None of these numbers has been confirmed by the host, but they all point the same way: one of the richest men in Brazilian TV.

The empire's foundation is media. 'Rede Massa today, counting my own and affiliates, has 77 [radio stations], plus six television stations,' Ratinho said in an interview reported by CARAS. Rede Massa is SBT's affiliate in the state of Paraná, and the host has said on the podcast Pod Pai Pod Filho that he wants to make his radio network the largest in the country and that he has liked making money 'since I was a boy.' The other pillar is agribusiness: reports cite nine to 13 farms in Paraná, Acre and Paraguay, producing soy, coffee and cattle, plus investments in hotels.

The most lavish picture lies abroad. According to CARAS, Ratinho owns a mansion in a gated community in south Orlando, Florida, valued at about R$9 million, with nine bedrooms, eight bathrooms plus a powder room, a pool with jacuzzi, a gourmet kitchen, a barbecue area and a large garden. His rural property in Acre stands out for its size, with an area estimated at between 150,000 and 200,000 hectares, depending on the report. It is the portrait of a born salesman, as he describes himself, who turned TV into the showcase for a much bigger business.