Apollo Carreon Quiboloy, Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, and Coerc…

Santa Ana, California — A federal grand jury has indicted Apollo Carreon Quiboloy, the self-proclaimed ‘Appointed Son of God’ and founder of the Philippines-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (KOJC), on charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. The superseding indictment, unsealed today, alleges Quiboloy orchestrated a years-long operation in which girls as young as 12 were coerced into sexual acts under threats of ‘eternal damnation’ while serving as personal assistants, or ‘pastorals,’ within the church.

The 42-count indictment expands the scope of a 2020 case targeting KOJC administrators in Los Angeles, adding six new defendants, including Quiboloy, 71, whose primary residence is a sprawling compound in Davao City, Philippines. He also maintained luxury homes in Calabasas, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Kapolei, Hawaii. The indictment details a dual trafficking scheme: labor trafficking involving church members forced to raise money for the Glendale-based Children’s Joy Foundation (CJF), a sham charity, and sex trafficking targeting young female recruits under spiritual coercion.

Three of the newly charged defendants were arrested today: Felina Salinas, also known as ‘Sis Eng Eng,’ 50, of Kapolei, Hawaii; Bettina Padilla Roces, also known as ‘Kuki,’ 48, arrested in Reseda; and Maria De Leon, 72, owner of Liberty Legal Document Services in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, who allegedly processed fraudulent marriages and immigration documents for KOJC members. They are scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles and Honolulu later today. The other three, including Quiboloy, remain at large in the Philippines.

Also named in the indictment are Teresita Tolibas Dandan, also known as ‘Tessie’ and ‘Sis Ting,’ 59, of Davao City, the church’s international administrator; Helen Panilag, 56, also of Davao City, former top U.S. KOJC administrator; Guia Cabactulan, 61, lead U.S. administrator operating from the Van Nuys compound; Marissa Duenas, 43, who handled fraudulent immigration paperwork; and Amanda Estopare, 50, who tracked and reported U.S.-raised funds to Philippine leaders.

The labor trafficking operation allegedly brought KOJC members to the U.S. on fraudulent visas, forcing them to solicit donations door-to-door for CJF under false pretenses. The money, far from aiding children, funded church operations and the opulent lifestyles of its leadership. Successful fundraisers were pressured into sham marriages or obtained fake student visas to extend their stays, further entrenching the scheme.

The charges against Quiboloy, Dandan, and Salinas specifically include conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking and sex trafficking of children. Prosecutors say the spiritual authority wielded by Quiboloy was systematically weaponized to manipulate, isolate, and exploit young women. The investigation, led by the DOJ and USAO for the Central District of California, marks a significant escalation in efforts to dismantle transnational religious organizations accused of criminal exploitation.