Feds say woman on private jet to Philippines smuggled cash

HONOLULU – A woman headed for the Philippines aboard a private jet leaving Honolulu lied about the amount of cash she had when inspectors found $335,000 in her carry-on bag, prosecutors said.

A U.S. District Court complaint accuses Felina S. Salinas of bulk cash smuggling, a crime punishable by up to five years in prison and forfeiture of the cash and property.

Salinas was released on $25,000 bond after a court appearance Wednesday. She said her attorney is flying to Hawaii.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials said she handed officers inspecting the jet a currency report form that declared she was carrying $40,000 and 1,000 Philippine pesos. When the officers opened Salinas’ carry-on bag, they found $335,000 and $9,000 in Australian dollars contained in socks, prosecutors said.

Federal law requires travellers to declare currency over $10,000.

Hawaii News Now reported that Salinas is the business manager of Kingdom of Jesus Christ’s Waipahu church location, and that the mega-church’s leader, Apollo Quiboloy, was also on the plane and was detained. They reported Quiboloy has since taken a commercial flight to the Philippines.