US Treasury sanctions Quiboloy over alleged human rights abuse

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has sanctioned Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder and pastor Apollo Carreon Quiboloy over alleged serious human rights abuse, amid the recognition of the International Anti-Corruption Day and Human Rights Day.

In a statement, the US Department of Treasury said Quiboloy was among the over 40 individuals and entities that were sanctioned due to their supposed connection to corruption or human rights abuse across nine countries.

"For more than a decade, Apollo Carreon Quiboloy (Quiboloy) engaged in serious human rights abuse, including a pattern of systemic and pervasive rape of girls as young as 11 years old, as well as other physical abuse," the OFAC said.

It mentioned a federal indictment in 2021 that alleged Quiboloy was involved in sex trafficking “pastorals,” or young women in the KOJC chosen to work as personal assistants for the pastor.

According to the indictment, the pastorals were directed to have “night duty,” requiring them to have sexual intercourse with Quiboloy on a determined schedule. Quiboloy allegedly kept pastorals in various countries, including the Philippines and the United States.

"Quiboloy exploited his role within the KOJC to rape his victims and subject them to other physical abuse, describing these acts as sacrifices required by the Bible and by God for the victims’ salvation. The pastorals, who were mostly minors when initially abused by Quiboloy, were told by him to 'offer your body as a living sacrifice,'" the OFAC said.

The OFAC cited a report of a female who supposedly was forced to have sex with Quiboloy, at least once a week even when she was a minor and in every country they visited. She said she lost count of the number of times the act happened.

The OFAC also alleged Quiboloy had subjected pastorals and other KOJC members to other forms of physical abuse, including personally beating the victims and sending them to “Upper Six,” a walled compound used solely for punishment.

"Quiboloy is designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being a foreign person who is responsible for or complicit in, or has directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse. As noted above, Quiboloy was indicted in November 2021. Quiboloy is currently on the FBI’s Wanted List," the OFAC said.

The Treasury implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which allows US officials to sanction individuals accused of corruption or human rights violations.

Under the sanction, all property and interests in property of the designated persons that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC.

It also includes any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons, individually or in the aggregate.

Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt

OFAC’s regulations also generally prohibit all transactions by US persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons, unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt.

The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

GMA News Online has reached out to Quiboloy's camp for comment, but Quiboloy’s legal counsel Atty. Ferdinand Topacio said they will call for a press conference at the appropriate time.

Asked for a comment if they are gathering information on the sanctions that will be imposed on Quiboloy, Department of Justice spokesperson Atty. Mico Clavo told GMA News Online that they had yet to discuss the matter. — Mel Matthew Doctor/Ted Cordero/KG, GMA Integrated News