Federal prosecutors in the United States have charged three senior administrators of the Philippines-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ Church with immigration fraud and labor trafficking. The indictment, handed down on February 15, 2020, alleges a years-long scheme that exploited church members under the guise of religious work.
Guia Cabactulan, Marissa Duenas, and Amanda Estopare were arrested on January 29. They face accusations of obtaining visas and immigration documents for church members through false pretenses. According to the indictment, only a handful of those brought to the U.S. knew they were coming to work as street fundraisers. The rest were deceived.
The case centers on a fake charity. The defendants allegedly forced church members to solicit donations for a cause that claimed to help impoverished Filipino children. That charity, prosecutors say, was a fiction. Money collected on American streets did not go to children in need.
Workers told a different story. Some were recruited believing they would perform in church concerts. Once in the United States, they were put on the streets nearly every day, year-round. They worked very long hours. They often slept in cars overnight. Basic necessities were withheld. The indictment states they had no normal access to over-the-counter medicine or even clothes.
The defendants set fundraising quotas. Workers who met them received little or no pay. Those who did not faced consequences. The indictment describes a system designed to prevent and restrict the liberty of church workers. Some are identified as victims of a severe form of trafficking.
The Kingdom of Jesus Christ Church, known as KOJC, was founded in the Philippines by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. He is a close ally of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. The church has a significant presence in the United States, with branches in several states. Its leadership has long wielded political influence back home.
This is not the first time KOJC has faced scrutiny. Quiboloy himself has been accused of abuses by former members. The church has denied wrongdoing in the past. But the federal indictment marks the first time its top administrators have been criminally charged on American soil.
The charges carry serious weight. Immigration fraud and labor trafficking are federal crimes. Convictions could mean years in prison. For the victims, the indictment is a rare acknowledgment of what they endured.
Church members who spoke to U.S. authorities described a cycle of exploitation. They were brought to America legally, but their freedom was taken. They worked in all weather. They slept in cars. They were denied medicine. They were told they were helping children. They were not.
The three defendants now face trial. The case will test the reach of U.S. law over a foreign religious organization operating inside American borders. It will also test whether the church’s political connections in Manila offer any protection in a U.S. courtroom.
For now, the indictment stands. The allegations are detailed. The victims are named in the court documents. The charity is exposed as a sham. The street fundraising continues in other forms, but the leaders who orchestrated it are in custody.
What happens next depends on the evidence. The U.S. Department of Justice has laid out its case. The defendants have pleaded not guilty. The trial will determine whether the church’s hierarchy can be held accountable for the labor of its most vulnerable members.
