The United States has formally requested the extradition of televangelist Apollo Quiboloy, who is currently detained in the Philippines on serious criminal charges.
Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez confirmed that the US government transmitted official documents to the Department of Justice (DOJ). “I’m confirming documents sent to [the] DOJ,” Romualdez said in a message to the Inquirer, noting that the request had been pursued since June.
The Department of Foreign Affairs declined to issue further remarks, saying the matter is now under the jurisdiction of the DOJ.
Quiboloy, founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ church, is wanted in the US over allegations of labor trafficking and sex trafficking. Prosecutors accuse him of forcing church members to secure donations under false pretenses, with the money allegedly funneled into funding church activities and the opulent lifestyles of its leaders. Victims were said to have been pressured into sham marriages or fraudulent student visas to maintain their stay in the US.
Female members, meanwhile, were reportedly recruited as “pastorals” tasked with personal chores for Quiboloy, including preparing meals, cleaning residences, and—according to testimonies—performing sexual acts during what was referred to as “night duty.”
A federal grand jury in California indicted Quiboloy in 2021 on multiple counts, including conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and bulk cash smuggling. A federal arrest warrant was issued that same year.
After months in hiding, Quiboloy was arrested at his church compound in Davao City and is now being held at the Pasig City Jail as extradition proceedings move forward.
