US court accepts guilty plea of KOJC administrators in visa fraud case

NEW YORK - The United States District Court - Central District of California has accepted the guilty plea of two Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) administrators, court documents showed.

Judge Terry J. Hatter Jr. has ordered the preparation of a pre-sentence report for Amanda Estopare and Guia Cabactulan after the court accepted their guilty plea to Count 7 of the First Superseding Indictment, which pertains to visa fraud.

Hatter questioned both Estopare and Cabactulan about the plea agreement they entered with the US District Attorney’s Office in October. Both confirmed that they voluntarily admitted their guilt and fully understood the terms of the agreement.

As a result, the court allowed them to remain temporarily free on bail, provided they comply with the terms and conditions set by the court during their release.

The accused are currently under the supervision of the Probation Office and are scheduled to be sentenced on April 21, 2025.

According to court documents, beginning 2015 to on or about January 29, 2020, the defendants and others had an agreement to commit marriage fraud. They arranged for KOJC members, who were sent by KOJC founder Pastor Apollo Quiboloy to the US, to enter into sham marriages with other KOJC members who were US citizens to enable them to apply for permanent resident status.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) earlier arrested Cabactulan and Marissa Duenas, another KOJC administrator, at the KOJC office in Van Nuys, California, while Estopare was arrested in Virginia in 2020. The US District Court for the Central District of California earlier accepted Duenas' guilty plea.

Sentencing for Duenas and Maria De Leon, a travel agent accused of falsifying documents to help KOJC members obtain legal status, is also expected next year. —KG, GMA Integrated News