Quiboloy’s Hawaii handler admits to lesser charge in cash smuggling case

Felina Salinas, Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s manager in Hawaii, pleaded guilty to making false statement in the money smuggling case she was facing. YOUTUBE

HONOLULU – The Hawaii manager of Philippine megachurch pastor Apollo Quiboloy struck a plea deal with prosecutors in the money smuggling case that brought more notoriety for the controversial church.

Felina Salinas, the local manager of Quiboloy’s Kingdom of Jesus Christ Church, pleaded guilty to making a false statement, instead of the original money smuggling charges she was facing.

Prosecutors agreed to ask for three months when she is sentenced in October, instead of the original 33 to 41 months in jail for cash smuggling.

Customs agents arrested Salinas in March after she failed to report more than $300,000 in cash contained in a suitcase on a private jet that was taking Pastor Apollo Quibiloy back to the Philippines in February 2018.

Investigators found that the suitcase was actually Quibiloy’s, who reportedly told his driver not to put it on the plane. Salinas admitted to falsely claiming the pastor’s suitcase, with the initials “AQ” was hers, apparently to protect him.