Three senior administrators of the Philippines-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ Church (KOJC) face federal charges in the United States for immigration fraud and labor trafficking, according to an indictment dated February 15, 2020. The charges stem from an alleged scheme that exploited church members under the pretense of religious work.
Guia Cabactulan, Marissa Duenas, and Amanda Estopare were arrested on January 29. They are accused of securing visas and immigration documents for church members through false pretenses. The indictment alleges that only a few individuals brought to the U.S. were aware they would work as street fundraisers; the majority were deceived.
The case involves a purported charity that claimed to support impoverished Filipino children. Prosecutors assert this charity was fictitious. Money collected on American streets did not reach children in need. Some workers were recruited believing they would perform in church concerts but were instead assigned to street fundraising nearly every day, year-round, often working very long hours.
Workers frequently slept in cars overnight, and basic necessities were withheld. According to the indictment, they lacked normal access to over-the-counter medicine and clothing. The defendants set fundraising quotas. Workers who met these quotas received little or no pay, while those who did not faced consequences. The indictment describes a system designed to restrict the liberty of church workers, with some identified as victims of a severe form of trafficking.
KOJC was founded in the Philippines by Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, a close ally of President Rodrigo Duterte. The church has a significant U.S. presence with branches in several states and has long wielded political influence in the Philippines. This is not the first time KOJC has faced scrutiny; Quiboloy has previously been accused of abuses by former members, though the church has denied wrongdoing. However, the federal indictment marks the first time its top administrators have been criminally charged on American soil.
Immigration fraud and labor trafficking are federal crimes carrying potential prison sentences. For victims, the indictment represents a rare acknowledgment of their experiences. Church members who spoke to U.S. authorities described a cycle of exploitation: brought to America legally, their freedom was taken; they worked in all weather, slept in cars, and were denied medicine. They were told they were helping children, but they were not.
The three defendants now face trial, which will test the reach of U.S. law over a foreign religious organization operating within American borders and whether the church’s political connections in Manila offer any protection in a U.S. courtroom. The indictment details allegations, names victims, and exposes the charity as a sham. The street fundraising continues in other forms, but the leaders who orchestrated it are in custody. The U.S. Department of Justice has laid out its case, and 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.
