US Treasury imposes sanctions on Apollo Quiboloy over human rights abuses
The United States has imposed sanctions on Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, the founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Name Above Every Name (KOJC), over alleged corruption and human rights abuses.
The US State Department and the Department of the Treasury announced the sanctions in separate statements released on Friday, December 9, on the occasion of the International Anti-Corruption Day and on the eve of International Human Rights Day.
“On the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day and on the eve of International Human Rights Day, the United States is taking the following actions to promote accountability for corruption and human rights abuse around the world,” the US State Department said.
US Treasury Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson noted that “corrupt actors and human rights abusers both rely on deficiencies in the international financial system to perpetrate their activities.”
The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) recently blocked the transactions of Quiboloy, his sect named Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and other properties within the US territory.
Quiboloy was indicted by the US Department of Justice in 2021 for allegedly coercing girls as young as 12 years old to work as his personal assistants and have sex with him under threats of “eternal damnation.”
In early February, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation released a “most wanted” poster on Mr. Quiboloy, a known ally of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
In a statement on Sunday, the Philippine Department of Justice (DoJ) refushed to speak on the issue because it “has yet to discuss the ins and outs of the sanctions on Mr. Quiboloy.”
Netizens are unanimous in welcoming the sanctions imposed on the self-styled televangelist and called for the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to cooperate with the US investigation on Quiboloy criminal activities.
