Quiboloy, associates face maximum penalty of life imprisonment in US
Quiboloy, associates face maximum penalty of life imprisonment in US
February 8, 2022
By Herbie Gomez
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY–At least five US federal prosecutors are working to win a conviction against controversial Davao City-based preacher Apollo Quiboloy and several of his associates who could end up in prison for life if found guilty of sex trafficking.
At least four US government agencies – the Homeland Security Investigations, US Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Fraud Detection and National Security Unit, the US Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, and IRS Criminal Investigation – were collaborating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in strengthening the cases against Quiboloy’s group.
Quiboloy, the founder and leader of the Davao-based Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) church and eight of his associates, were charged with conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, sex trafficking of children, marriage fraud, fraud, and misuse of visas, bulk cash smuggling, promotional money laundering, concealment money laundering, and international promotional money laundering.
The sex trafficking conspiracy alone as alleged in the indictment carries a statutory maximum penalty of life imprisonment, based on information released by the US Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California.
The US Attorney’s Office said there were five substantive sex trafficking charges against Quiboloy, et al., each carrying a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and a potential sentence of life.
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