The person at the center of this case
Helen Panilag
Cold Case · Open
4 years waiting · since 2021
HELEN PANILAG
Justice for Helen Panilag — the trail went cold in 2021, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1What is Helen Panilag's current location and has she fled to the Philippines or another country?
🔍
evidence
Lead #2What financial records document the flow of solicited donations and how were they used to finance church operations?
👤
person
Lead #3How many church members were victimized by this trafficking scheme and have they been identified and assisted?
Helen Panilag is wanted for her alleged role as a top church administrator in a labor trafficking conspiracy that brought Philippine church members to the United States under fraudulent visas and forced them to solicit donations for a bogus charity. The scheme involved sham marriages and fraudulent student visas to keep victims in the country year-round, with collected funds financing church operations and leaders' lavish lifestyles. A federal warrant was issued on November 10, 2021, and her current whereabouts remain unknown.
Case
#1060
United States District Court for the Central District of California, Santa Ana, California
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
💡
clue
Lead #4Who were the other church leaders involved in orchestrating this conspiracy and have they been apprehended?
📞
contact
Lead #5Are there any known associates or family members who may be harboring Panilag or facilitating her evasion?
Have information about any of these leads?
Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
Conspiracy Caution: Helen Panilag is wanted for her alleged participation in a labor trafficking scheme that brought church members of a Philippines-based church to the United States, via fraudulently obtained visas, and forced the members to solicit donations for a bogus charity, donations that actually were used to finance church operations and the lavish lifestyles of its leaders. Members who proved successful at soliciting for the church allegedly were forced to enter into sham marriages or obtain fraudulent student visas to continue soliciting in the United States year-round.
Panilag is the alleged one-time top church administrator in the United States who oversaw the collection of financial data from church operations around the globe. Panilag was indicted for conspiracy by a federal grand jury in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, Santa Ana, California, and on November 10, 2021, a federal warrant was issued for her arrest.
Timeline of Events
🕵️
2021-11-10
Federal Warrant Issued
A federal grand jury in the United States District Court for the Central District of California issued a warrant for Helen Panilag's arrest for conspiracy related to labor trafficking.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:November 10, 2021
Last Updated:April 29, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:November 10, 2021
Last Updated:April 29, 2026