KOJC officer admits conspiracy to defraud US in plea deal

An administrator of the operations in California of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy's Kingdom of Jesus Christ has entered into a plea agreement with the US Attorney's Office.

Marissa Duenas, a human resources manager for the KOJC in Van Nuys, agreed to plead guilty to the conspiracy charge to defraud the US in exchange for a reduced sentence.

The USAO also agreed to move to dismiss the remaining counts of the indictment against Duenas.

According to the 16-page document obtained by GMA Integrated News, Duenas admitted to reaching an agreement with others to commit marriage fraud.

The agreement indicated that she and others sought to maintain US immigration status for KOJC members by arranging "sham marriages" with other KOJC members who were US citizens.

The plea agreement was signed on Monday in the US by Duenas, and her lawyer John Littrell. 

Assistant US Attorney Gregory Stapes signed on Tuesday.

Duenas is a co-accused of Maria De Leon, who is said to have processed fraudulent documents for church members. 

De Leon had previously reached a plea deal and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 27 of next year.

A date for Duenas' plea agreement hearing has not yet been set.

Quiboloy is included in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's wanted list "for his alleged participation in a labor trafficking scheme that brought church members to the United States, via fraudulently obtained visas, and forced the members to solicit donations for a bogus charity, donations that actually were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders."

He has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.

Philippine authorities said Quiboloy was arrested on September 8.

Then Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said Quiboloy was caught inside the KOJC compound in Davao City, where the police had been searching for him since August 24.

Quiboloy's camp said he surrendered to stop what one of his lawyers called "lawless violence" in te area.

Quiboloy is facing charges under Section 5(b) and  Section 10(a) of Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.

He is also facing a non-bailable qualified human trafficking charge under Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 9208, as amended, before a Pasig court.

He has also been indicted by a federal grand jury in the US District Court for the Central District of California for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling. —NB, GMA Integrated News