The founder and leader of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ was detained at Honolulu airport after agents found $350,000 in cash and gun parts on his private jet.
After being detained for most of yesterday (Thursday, February 15), Pastor Apollo Quiboloy was allowed to take a commercial flight back to the Philippines after his release.
According to Hawaii News Now, Quiboloy was among six people on the Cessna Citation Sovereign that was scheduled to depart for the Philippines when it was searched by Customs and Border Enforcement agents.
Tens of thousands of dollars in $100 bills were found in a neatly folded and stuffed into socks inside a suitcase. As well as the cash, rifle parts were also found on the plane.
A woman identified as Felina Salinas, who was also on board the plane, was later arrested after she claimed the cash belonged to her.
The 47-year-old is a US citizen from Makakilo City, Hawaii. According to court records, she is the business manager of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ at Waipahu.
She has now been charged with attempted bulk cash smuggling after having declared just $40,000.
On Wednesday, Salinas appeared for the first time in court.
She told the federal magistrate judge that she will be hiring her own attorney. She was subsequently released on $25,000 bond. Her next scheduled hearing will be on February 27.
Quiboloy founded the ‘Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name’ in 1985. It claims to have six million followers worldwide. The sect’s main cathedral is in Davao City.
Church sources are yet to comment on the issue, beyond a statement that said: “We will just inform everyone on a possible press-con when Pastor ACQ is ready. He is still on his way to the country.”
Quiboloy was one of Duterte’s strongest supporters during the presidential campaign. He even told his followers of a “prophecy” in which he saw an image of Duterte walking in the Malacañang Palace.
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