By Ali Raza
A preacher who called himself the ‘Son of God’ succeeded to amass millions of followers, but behind closed doors, his actions narrated a different story. Beneath his shining personality lay a dark world of lies, fraud, smuggling, and horrific crimes.
The Ugly Truth Behind Fame and Fortune: Unveiling the Dark Side of Megachurch Leaders
In today’s blog, we will lift the veil on the ugly truths hidden behind the curtain of fame and fortune. This story is more jaw-dropping than you might imagine–it’s a real eye-opener.
The man at the center of the storm is Apollo Carreon Quiboloy. At just 24 years old, he started as a small-time preacher in the Philippines but soon advanced to become the head of a megachurch.
How Apollo Quiboloy Declared Himself the “Chosen Son of God”
One day, while preaching in a small church, Apollo claimed that angels allegedly appeared to him out of the blue. They told him that God had appointed him his son. Without missing a beat, Apollo began to tell this story to everyone that he was the chosen Son of God.
Under this spirit and pride, he decided to establish his own church. In no time, his church was firmly established. Then, a turning point came when an important figure, Rodrigo, who was running for mayor elections, attended Apollo’s church gathering.
From Spiritual Advisor to Power Broker: How Apollo Gained Political Influence
The people of the church rolled out the red carpet for Rodrigo, and before long, Apollo and Rodrigo became close friends. Shortly after, Rodrigo won the election and appointed Apollo as his spiritual advisor, giving him a foot in the door.
After this, the reputation of Apollo and his controversial teachings began to spread like wildfire. His church flourished, and donations began to pour in, but these donations were not enough for Apollo, and his hunger grew.
The Dark Secrets of Apollo’s Donations Empire: Fraud and Exploitation
To line his pockets, Apollo assembled a group of loyal people and sent them out at the crack of dawn to collect donations from strangers. All of these people were not allowed to come home until they hit their daily targets–no ifs, ands, or buts.
To avoid sleeping on the street, these church workers played on the sympathy of women. They pretended to be poor students or disabled to collect money. The result was that the church’s wealth increased enormously, and both Apollo’s power and fame continued to grow.
Apollo’s Global Reach: Smuggling Followers Into America for Profit
Very soon, the priest Apollo became immensely wealthy. He became so wealthy that he started his own broadcasting network, which allowed his teachings to spread beyond the Philippines and gain followers all over the world, including the United States, where Apollo began to exert his influence.
With the help of his closest associates, he smuggled his most obedient followers into America, where they collected donations full-time. Thus, his wealth continued to increase. But this was only the beginning.
Outrageous Claims by Apollo Quiboloy: Stopping Earthquakes and Talking Directly to God
Apollo first made an amazing claim that he was the chosen son of God. Then he made another claim — that he stopped an earthquake by shouting. He said that as the earthquake was coming, he shouted, and the earthquake stopped.
He also said that people should thank him for stopping the earthquake.
After that, he further claimed that he talked directly with his God. He did not speak figuratively — he claimed to talk to God for real. He also claimed to see glimpses of God and said he had physically gone to heaven many times — that is, he had visions of heaven.
The Shocking Reality of Apollo’s “Spiritual Wives”: Sex Trafficking Within the Church
On one hand, he was making people his followers through spiritual claims, while on the other, he was involved in dirty work within his church.
For example, among the workers of Apollo’s church were young and beautiful women skilled in collecting donations, called “Pastoral Assistants.” These beautiful and obedient pastoral assistants became part of Apollo’s inner circle, whom he would make his “spiritual wives.”
Spiritual wives were given a special honor — the “night duty” — which meant spending the night with Apollo. These pastoral assistants and spiritual wives ranged in age from 25 years to as young as 12 years.
While Apollo was much older than these girls or women, any girl or young woman who objected to “night duty” was threatened with eternal punishment in hell.
Basically, if they didn’t comply with Apollo’s wishes, they were verbally and physically threatened or told they would burn in hell forever.
The situation was even worse for the women who refused, as they were entirely dependent on the church for their basic needs. They lived and worked at the church — their entire social life revolved around it — leaving them trapped. Apollo was essentially trafficking these girls. This sex trafficking continued for many years, with victims not only in the Philippines but also in the United States.
Apollo’s Lavish Lifestyle: Private Jets, Helicopters, and the World’s Largest Indoor Stadium
By this time, Apollo had become a powerful man with a following of over 6 million, claiming to have followers in 200 countries. He had grown even richer due to massive donations. Now, he also owned a private jet and a personal helicopter.
His church compound had an indoor stadium that could seat 75,000 people. For comparison, it was the largest indoor stadium in the world — and Apollo owned it.
Scandals Emerge: Allegations of Abuse and Corruption Rock Apollo’s Empire
But then, things began to happen that could no longer be suppressed. Rumors of his abuse of young women spread from the church walls to the public. Unsurprisingly, his devoted followers refused to believe the allegations. They stood firm with Apollo — as followers of religious leaders often do.
The situation became even more complicated when Apollo’s longtime friend, Rodrigo — formerly a mayor — ran for president of the Philippines.
Now, behind Apollo stood the most powerful man in the country. With President Rodrigo’s support, all charges against Apollo were silenced. Apollo began to feel invincible.
FBI Investigation Sparks International Manhunt for Apollo Quiboloy
For 16 years, these illegal and unethical activities continued without interruption — and it seemed as if Apollo would never be prosecuted.
Then came a decisive moment. Some of Apollo’s former church members reported him to the FBI in America. The FBI launched an investigation, and the news spread like wildfire in the media. When Apollo found out, he reportedly said, “Oh [__]” — and immediately fled the United States. He returned to the Philippines, seeking refuge in his church compound, where his friend President Rodrigo protected him.
Apollo’s Downfall: Arrest Warrants, Raids, and Legal Battles
But fate took a turn. President Rodrigo’s term ended, and the Philippines got a new president — one who was no friend of Apollo. Now, the charges against Apollo could no longer be ignored.
Meanwhile, the FBI in America arrested Apollo’s close associates. Officially, Apollo was charged with fraud, human trafficking, and sex trafficking. He was now on the FBI’s “Most Wanted” list.
Apollo reacted with anger and frustration. He claimed it was all a conspiracy. Shockingly, he used the Covid pandemic as part of his defense. In one sermon, he warned the world:
“I am warning the whole world—listen to the appointed son. Do you want this plague to stop? Stop persecuting, prosecuting, and defaming the appointed son.”
These words were not only strange but also sounded threatening.
Victims Speak Out: Women Accuse Apollo of Horrific Crimes
And then — as the days passed — more women in the Philippines came forward, making horrific accusations against Apollo.
As expected, Apollo denied every accusation. He dismissed the claims as false and insisted that those accusing him were ill-intentioned. Incredibly, he even changed the homepage of his website to read: “Why are the bad guys behind Priest Apollo?”
To me, the answer was obvious — sex trafficking was likely the real reason — but that’s just my guess.
Eventually, the Philippine Senate issued a warrant for Apollo’s arrest. Authorities raided some of his properties, but he was nowhere to be found. He was on the run, trying to escape the law.
A large manhunt was launched to track him down. At one point, there was a fierce clash between the police and his loyal followers in his church compound. His supporters still insisted that Apollo was innocent.
Dramatic Surrender: What’s Next for Apollo Quiboloy?
Then — two weeks later — came a dramatic turn. Apollo finally surrendered. He turned himself in to the authorities.
Until then, Apollo had not been formally prosecuted — but now, all eyes are on the case. Let’s see what direction this story takes next.
