The person at the center of this case
Church members subjected to labor trafficking (multiple victims)
Cold Case · Open - Wanted
4 years waiting · since 2021
HELEN PANILAG
Justice for Church members subjected to labor trafficking (multiple victims) — the trail went cold in 2021, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🎯
suspect
Lead #1Where is Helen Panilag currently located and is she still in the United States or has she fled to the Philippines?
🔍
evidence
Lead #2What financial records exist documenting the flow of solicited donations and their use for church operations and personal enrichment?
👁️
witness
Lead #3How many church members were trafficked and forced to solicit, and are they willing to provide testimony about their experiences?
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 false pretenses. Members were forced to solicit donations for a fraudulent charity while their earnings financed church operations and leaders' lavish lifestyles, with some coerced into sham marriages or fraudulent student visas to continue the scheme. A federal warrant was issued on November 10, 2021, and her current whereabouts remain unknown, making information about her location critical to law enforcement.
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 #4Which individuals in leadership positions facilitated the fraudulent visa applications and sham marriages?
📞
contact
Lead #5What communications or transactions connect Panilag to other alleged co-conspirators in this trafficking scheme?
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:September 9, 2026
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Case Information
Incident:November 10, 2021
Last Updated:September 9, 2026