‘Appointed Son of God’ Apollo Quiboloy: What are the accusations against him?

Apollo Quiboloy, the self-proclaimed “Appointed Son of God” of the Philippines, has been apprehended following a multi-week investigation of his expansive church compound in the southern city of Davao by over 2,000 police officers.

The celebrity evangelist is currently facing allegations of sexual abuse of juveniles and sex trafficking. His lawyers did not immediately respond to queries for comment, and he denies any wrongdoing. Quiboloy is also listed on the “most wanted” list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States, where he was accused of operating a sex-trafficking operation, among other offenses.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF THE U.S. INDICTMENT

In 2021, quiboloy, the leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) in the Philippines, was indicted by a U.S. federal grand jury, along with several of his associates, on allegations of sex trafficking, fraud, coercion, and money laundering.

COERCION AND SEXUAL ABUSE

Quiboloy and his associates were accused of sexually exploiting women and juvenile girls under the guise of religious obligation.

It was alleged in the indictment that they recruited females between the ages of 12 and 25 to serve as personal assistants, or “pastorals.” It was stated that they were obligated to provide Quiboloy with massages, maintain his residences, and accompany him on trips.

According to the indictment, the pastorals were coerced into engaging in sexual intercourse with Quiboloy during their “night duty” under the guise of “eternal damnation” and physical torture.

TRAFFICKING

The indictment also accused Quiboloy and others of participating in a labor trafficking scheme that exploited church members by compelling them to enter sham marriages and fraudulently obtaining visas to enable them to remain in the United States in order to solicit money.

Church members were instructed to inform the public that the donations would benefit impoverished children, when in reality, the funds were used to directly fund the operations of KOJC and the extravagant lifestyle of KOJC leaders.

MONEY LAUNDERING

Additionally, the indictment accused church workers of illegally returning $9,000 in cash to the Philippines through a variety of methods, including concealing it in their socks and luggage upon their return to Manila. The charges included bulk currency smuggling and money laundering.

Quiboloy directed the transportation of larger quantities using KOJC’s private aircraft. According to the indictment, Quiboloy attempted to convey the sum of over $335,000 in his luggage from California to the Philippines in February 2018.