Philippine televangelist Apollo Quiboloy faces U.S. trial on sex trafficking charges

Apollo Quiboloy, a 76-year-old evangelist in the Philippines, is now facing extradition to the United States to stand trial for human trafficking and sex trafficking of children. For years, Quiboloy, who called himself God's chosen son, led the Kingdom of Jesus Christ church from Davao City, the same city as former President Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte appointed Quiboloy as his spiritual advisor in 2016.

Prosecutors accuse Quiboloy of selecting girls and women, aged 12 to 25, as personal assistants. These women allegedly cooked, cleaned, and traveled with him globally. A "night duty" schedule reportedly mandated sexual relations with Quiboloy, framed as God's will, with threats of eternal damnation for refusal. The church, which Quiboloy claimed had six million members in 200 countries, allegedly sent members to the U.S. to solicit money for supposed charity, but federal prosecutors say the funds supported the church's operations and Quiboloy's extravagant lifestyle. Funds were transferred via bank or carried in cash, with Quiboloy himself allegedly transporting over $300,000 on a private jet.

Quiboloy also made extraordinary claims, including stopping an earthquake by shouting at it and attributing the Omicron variant of COVID-19 to legal threats against him in the U.S. He warned of a worse virus if he was not cleared of charges. While Quiboloy was not pursued domestically during Duterte's presidency, the Philippine Senate pressured for his arrest in 2024 under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., leading to an arrest warrant and a police operation at the church's compound.