The United States government has officially submitted a formal request for the extradition of detained Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) founder and televangelist Apollo Quiboloy to stand trial on multiple criminal indictments in California.
Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez confirmed the transmission of the documents, stating:
”The formal request has been transmitted to the Department of Justice.”
This step advances the diplomatic legal process following Ambassador Romualdez’s announcement in September 2024 regarding Washington’s intention to initiate the procedure.
Under standard diplomatic protocol, the request moves from the US Department of Justice to the US Department of State, which then transmits a diplomatic note to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) before endorsement to the Philippine Department of Justice (DOJ).
The Philippine government retains the ultimate authority to determine whether Quiboloy may be extradited given his pending domestic criminal proceedings. The extradition process is governed by the 1994 extradition treaty between the Philippines and the United States.
Quiboloy is wanted in the US following a 2021 federal indictment in California. American prosecutors charged him with conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, sex trafficking of children, bulk cash smuggling, and financial fraud.
US authorities allege that Quiboloy and his co-defendants misled followers into securing US visas to solicit donations for a fraudulent children’s charity, which instead funded the luxurious lifestyles of church leadership.
Furthermore, US federal prosecutors allege that Quiboloy recruited young women and girls—some as young as 12—as personal assistants or “pastorals,” coercing them into sexual acts under threats of physical abuse and “eternal damnation.”
Quiboloy, a self-proclaimed “Owner of the Universe” and “Appointed Son of God,” has consistently denied all allegations. He is a longtime friend and spiritual adviser to former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is detained at the International Criminal Court (ICC) detention facility in The Hague, Netherlands, facing charges of crimes against humanity connected to his administration’s anti-drug campaign.
The televangelist was arrested on September 8, 2024, following a 16-day police operation at the KOJC compound in Davao City. He is currently held at the Pasig City Jail on non-bailable charges of qualified human trafficking and child sexual abuse.
In May 2024, the Supreme Court ordered the transfer of his cases from Davao City to Quezon City due to public interest, the risk of local bias, and concerns over witness intimidation linked to the accused’s influence.