The Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States imposed sanctions on the founder and pastor of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), Apollo Quiboloy due to alleged human rights abuses, in conjunction with the celebration of the International Anti-Corruption Day and Human Rights Day.
In a statement, the US Department of Treasury said Quiboloy is among more than 40 people and organizations allegedly involved in corruption or human rights abuses in 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,” OFAC said.
OFAC cited a 2021 federal indictment that alleged Apollo Quiboloy was involved in the sex trafficking of “pastorals,” or girls at KOJC who were chosen to work as Quiboloy’s personal assistants.
According to the indictment, the pastorals were ordered to do “night duty,” and were allegedly assigned to have sex with Quiboloy according to the set time. Apollo Quiboloy is also said to have hidden pastorals in other 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,'” said OFAC.
Apollo Quiboloy sanctioned by US Treasury for allegedly abusing human rights
OFAC cited a report of a woman who was allegedly forced to have sex with Quiboloy once a week, even when she was a minor, and in every country, they went to. He said he couldn’t count how many times the incident happened.
OFAC also said that Apollo Quiboloy subjected the pastors and other KOJC members to other forms of physical abuse, including allegedly beating the victims and sending them to the “Upper Six,” a closed compound that was allegedly used in 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,” said OFAC.
The US Treasury implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which allows US officials to sanction people involved in corruption or human rights violations.
Under the sanctions, all assets and interests in assets of the accused persons that are in the United States or the custody or control of persons in the United States will be blocked and reported to OFAC.
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