This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.
The news item cited as support for the claim refers not to Quiboloy, but to Marissa Duenas, who recently struck a plea deal in the US
Claim: Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s human trafficking, forced labor, and money laundering cases in the United States have already been dismissed.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The claim can be found in an October 10 post on the X account of user “jcco” (@Jjcruz2). The post states: ‘HILAW NGA’ (it’s raw) #Quick | Pastor Quiboloy’s human trafficking, forced labor, and money laundering case in the US has been dismissed.” It cites an October 10 post from the official SMNI News X account stating that a US court dismissed human trafficking, forced labor, and money laundering cases against a KOJC leader.
As of writing, the post has 178 comments, 54 reposts, 215 likes, 6 bookmarks, and around 46,400 views.
The facts: Quiboloy’s cases in the US have not yet been dismissed. The SMNI News post shared in the X post by “jcco” referred to a KOJC leader, but not Quiboloy. Instead, it was Marissa Duenas, one of Quiboloy’s co-accused in some of his cases, as referred to in October 10 X posts and an online article by SMNI News.
Dueñas entered into a plea deal on October 7 in the US; she pleaded guilty for conspiracy to defraud the US government in exchange for a reduction in her sentence. She has been identified as an “administrator of KOJC’s operations and a human resources manager in the US,” a previous Rappler report said.
Department of Justice Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Jose Dominic Claviano IV said that Duenas’ plea deal led the US prosecutor to “dismiss the charges against her only” and that cases against Quiboloy and other accused are still ongoing.
Still in FBI Most Wanted list: The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) still lists Quiboloy among its “MOST WANTED” for the following crimes: “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.”
ALSO ON RAPPLER
Previous related fact-checks: Rappler has published multiple fact checks of claims regarding Quiboloy. Aside from claims about the charges against him or his status relative to those charges, some of the more peculiar ones include claims about his death, and dismissed Bamban, Tarlac mayor Alice Guo being supposedly pregnant with his child. – Percival Bueser/ Rappler.com
Percival Bueser is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.
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