US seeks extradition of Filipino church leader accused of fraud, sex crimes

The United States has requested the Philippines extradite a Filipino church leader who is on the FBI’s most wanted list to stand trial for child sex trafficking and fraud.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said it received the US government’s request for Apollo Quiboloy’s extradition on Thursday and endorsed it to the Department of Justice.

The request needs approval from two Philippine courts, which have been trying the detained former televangelist for human trafficking and child abuse charges, according to two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authority to discuss the issues publicly.

Quiboloy was arrested in 2024 on charges of child and sexual abuse as well as human trafficking. The Philippine Senate separately ordered Quiboloy’s arrest at the time for refusing to appear in public hearings about his alleged crimes. He has been jailed since then.

The preacher denied the allegations, saying they were fabricated by critics and former members who were removed from his religious group.

Criminal suspects in the Philippines must finish their trials and serve their sentences if convicted prior to extradition. However, under the 1994 extradition treaty between Washington and Manila, Philippine justice officials can ask a domestic court to allow the temporary surrender of a suspect to a foreign court to face trial prior to the resolution of their Philippine cases.

Quiboloy, 76, leads the Kingdom of Jesus Christ church, which was founded in 1985 in Davao in the southern Philippines and claims to have a large following both at home and abroad, including the US.

The self-proclaimed “appointed son of God” and “owner of the universe” has made outrageous claims that provoked questions about his character but endeared him to his followers. He once claimed to have stopped a major earthquake from hitting the southern Philippines in 2019.