Former Amazonas legislator and TV host Wallace Souza, centre, in August 2009, has died. He had faced trial on charges of drug trafficking and ordering the murder of his rivals. (Antonio Menezes/A Critica/Associated Press)

A former Brazilian crime show host and state legislator accused of orchestrating murders to boost his TV ratings has died in hospital.

Wallace Souza died of a heart attack at Sao Paulo's Hospital Bandeirantes on Tuesday, according to hospital spokeswoman Raquel Rojas.

Souza had suffered from Budd Chiari syndrome, a rare illness causing blockages to form in the blood vessels of the liver, and had been treated for the disease since March, Rojas said.

The 51-year-old former police officer and TV crime show host had been awaiting trial on charges of drug trafficking and homicide.

Souza was known for his popular show Canal Livre, filmed in the jungle city of Manaus. It featured exclusive footage from arrests, drug busts and grisly murder scenes. It began in the 1980s and ran until late 2008.

He parlayed his TV fame into three terms as state legislator for the Amazonas region, all the while remaining a media personality.

Police intensified their investigation into Souza in 2008. Authorities allege that he ordered the deaths of at least five people — including drug-trafficking rivals — to improve his own business and to boost ratings for his TV show.

In the fall of 2009, he was ousted from his government post and lost the immunity from prosecution granted to Brazilian lawmakers. After a few days on the run, he turned himself in to police, though he claimed that political opponents were trying to ruin his reputation.

Souza repeatedly denied all charges against him and his death prevents his name from being cleared, his lawyer, Denise Macedo, told reporters.

"He didn't have the necessary force to prove his innocence," she said.

Souza's son, Rafael, was jailed last August for homicide, drug trafficking and illegal gun possession.

With files from The Associated Press