Paraguay Lobby Funds ③ — Church Leadership’s View and [Lay Members Council]’s View on Reports Related to the “Drug Gate” Scandal (2026-06-02)
Last December, the Paraguayan Prosecutor’s Office raided Unification Church facilities and abruptly indicted local Unification Church board members and the church’s attorneys.
It is also alleged that the Paraguay Unification Church’s board of directors transferred ownership of much of the church’s real estate—valued at tens of millions of dollars—to the church’s legal advisor Michelle Byun, and her daughter.
After receiving information regarding the gravity of these issues within Paraguay Unification Church, I published the following article on Cafe.
▶ Unification Church uses “Annual Missionary Funds of 110 Billion Won (Approx. 11 Billion Yen)” ①— “Paraguay Lobby Funds” “Politicians Mentioned in the ‘Drug Gate’ Scandal” (2026-03-12)
https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/ZXsd/1476
▶ Paraguay Lobby Funds ②—“Drug Gate”… “Indictment of Unification Church Executives” and “Tens of Millions of Dollars in Unification Church Assets Transferred to a Personal Lawyer” (2026-03-13)
https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/ZXsd/1477
On March 20, 2026, Yoon Young-ho appeared as a witness at President Han Hak-ja’s 17th trial and mentioned the case of taking 10 billion won to South America as an example of President Han issuing illegal instructions.
Although this information is not directly related to the charges themselves, it appears that Yoon Young-ho revealed this fact to prove that he merely acted on President Han’s instructions and was “an accessory, not the principal offender.” However, the repercussions are bound to be significant.
▶ President Han Hak-ja’s 17th Trial — Yoon Young-ho: “Took 10 Billion Won to South America on President Han’s Illegal Instructions” (2026-03-21)
https://cafe.daum.net/antiuccorruption/as2X/722
◆ ‘Sisa Journal’ Reports on “Sharing of ‘Drug Gate’ Funds… Suspicions of Involvement by Paraguayan High-Ranking Official”
On May 30, 2026, *Sisa Journal* reported the following:
“It has been confirmed that suspicions regarding the involvement of high-ranking Unification Church officials in the ‘Drug Gate’ scandal were documented in a report submitted to President Han Hak-ja. It is alleged that a Paraguayan congressman, who served as a core executive for the Unification Church in South America, was involved in crimes such as drug money laundering locally, and that senior church executives discussed these matters.”
“Furthermore, it has been revealed that the Unification Church’s South American General Director, who reported on the situation in Paraguay to the headquarters in South Korea, returned to South Korea after problems arose locally and has since assumed a position as a church executive in Korea.”
https://www.sisajournal.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=374531
In response, a spokesperson for the Unification Church’s Public Relations Office asserted, “It became clear during the trial of President Han and others that the ‘TM Report’ contained factual errors and issues.”
The spokesperson also denied the allegations, stating, “Cynthia’s crimes were a personal matter, and it is impossible that the church had prior knowledge of them.”
Furthermore, they countered, “The claim in the document that drug money was shared [with the church] is absolutely impossible.”
Regarding the allegation that church-owned land was used as a runway for drug trafficking, they explained, “The Unification Church owns a vast amount of land, and this issue arose because it was difficult to manage every detail,” denying any connection to the church.
However, Cynthia Tarrago has been active alongside Shin Dong-mo, the South American UPF representative, and Yang Chang-shik, the Central American UPF representative, and the Unification Church has also carried out many activities through Cynthia Tarrago.
Therefore, it seems unlikely that this issue can be simply dismissed as a mere “personal matter.”
◆ Statements by the [Lay Members Council] and “Peace Observatory 2027” Regarding the ‘Sisa Journal’ Report
Following the ‘Sisa Journal’ report, the [Lay Members Council] issued a public statement on May 31, 2026, and the “Peace Observatory 2027” blog, which takes a pro-Unification Church stance, issued a public statement on June 1, 2026.
1. Statement by the [Lay Members Council]
The [Lay Members Council] is concerned about the impact that the facts confirmed by the media reports and judicial records will have on the Unification Church, and is calling for the resignation of those responsible at the time and for thorough asset management.
For details, please refer to the original text of the [Lay Members Council] statement below. (*The original text is posted below this post.)
2. “Peace Observatory 2027”
“Peace Observatory 2027” claims that the title of the “Sisa Journal” article, “Unification Church South America Representative Suspected of Money Laundering and Drug Trafficking?” is a sensationalist headline that misleads the public, especially when falsely referring to an individual who is actually the “South America Representative of the IAPP (International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace), an organization under the Unification Church,” as the “Unification Church South America Representative.”
The “IAPP” in question is an organization established in 2016 primarily by parliamentarians from various continents to discuss global peace issues.
Furthermore, it explains that Cynthia Tarrago, the individual involved in this matter, is a person who served as a member of the Paraguayan House of Representatives for the Colorado Party from 2013 to 2018 and is merely one of thousands of Ambassadors for Peace in South America.
Furthermore, it asserts that she was immediately notified of her dismissal as soon as allegations of her involvement in drug trafficking surfaced, and that it is problematic to refer to her as the “Unification Church Representative for South America” despite the fact that she just holds an unpaid honorary position.
Furthermore, it poses a question on *Sisa Journal*’s intention of reposting a six-year-old article, while turning a blind eye to the gravity of the ongoing issue.
The fact is that the Paraguay drug scandal did not end with the report by the online media outlet *WikiLeaks Korea* on October 21, 2020; it is, in fact, an ongoing case.
http://www.wikileaks-kr.org/news/articleView.html?idxno=75453
◆ Through the *Sisa Journal* report, members are learning the facts for the first time
Furthermore, parallel to this incident, an issue has arisen regarding the transfer of tens of millions of dollars worth of Unification Church assets in Paraguay to attorney Michelle Byung, making this an extremely serious matter for the Unification Church.
Nevertheless, it appears that the Unification Church leadership has ignored this matter.
It was only through this recent report by *Sisa Journal* that many members learned the facts for the first time. We ask that you recognize that any attempt to downplay this important article is nothing more than an attempt to cover up the problem.
2026-06-02
Choi Jong-keun
[Unification Church Anti-Corruption Monitoring Committee]
*As this document was generated by AI, it may contain typos or mistranslations.
The following is a statement prepared by the [Lay Members Council] in response to an article in *Sisa Journal* and shared via KakaoTalk and other platforms. We clarify that this council is not affiliated with the [Unification Church Anti-Corruption Monitoring Committee].
[Lay Members Council] Statement Regarding Reports on South American Drug Trafficking and the Restoration of Trust
Subtitle: The [Lay Members Council] does not seek to condemn anyone; rather, to safeguard the fairness and transparency of the church, we demand an independent investigation and verification of eligibility for public office regarding serious allegations.
Furthermore, regarding factors that may cause further difficulties in True Mother’s trial, we earnestly request that these be resolved in advance in accordance with the ISO regulations, which serve as the Association’s guidelines.
1. Purpose of Raising the Issue
The [Lay Members Council] takes the issues related to South America, recently reported by major media outlets both domestically and internationally, extremely seriously.
Our reason for raising this issue is not to attack specific individuals or damage their reputations.
This is our minimum responsibility as lay members and a heartfelt appeal in order to protect the dignified honor of True Parents and the future of the Family Federation, and to build a trustworthy church that the next generation can be proud of.
Fairness and transparent accountability are the most fundamental conditions for putting True Parents’ words into practice and protecting the church.
2. Facts Confirmed Through Media Reports and Judicial Records
The following facts have been revealed through objective records from credible overseas judicial and media organizations, and they constitute a serious warning that the church leadership must not overlook.
(1) Mismanagement of International Organizations and Assets
■ Final Judgment by a U.S. Court
Official documents from the U.S. Department of Justice confirm that an individual who served as the South American director for an international organization under the church’s umbrella was found guilty in a U.S. federal court of conspiracy to launder international funds and was sentenced to a prison term (33 months) in 2022.
We were particularly shocked that, during this process, properties such as the “New Yorker Hotel” in New York—a symbolic overseas asset of the Church—were mentioned.
■ Gaps in Overseas Land Management
According to a report by the international news agency Reuters, it was revealed that Church-owned land was included in the crackdown on illegal airstrips in the Chaco region of Paraguay.
Even if there was no evidence of direct involvement by church members, this proved that there were serious gaps in the local management and oversight systems, which allowed an international criminal organization to misuse the church’s assets.
(2) Risks Revealed by the Internal Report (TM Report)
Recently reported internal documents detail how key officials urgently returned to Korea to avoid suspicions regarding fund management in South America and the associated local legal risks.
In response, the church has publicly stated that “the ‘TM Report’ is a distortion of the facts based on deception.”
However, suspicions must be resolved based on facts, and a cleanup process to clearly investigate this matter is absolutely necessary.
3. Structural Crisis of Concern to Lay Members
Currently, the greatest concern among members goes beyond the merits of individual incidents; it is the lack of a structural system within the church that could have prevented and eliminated such situations in advance.
● Paralysis of the Leadership Verification System
Even minimal preventive measures, such as post-incident verification or removal from duty, are not being taken against individuals involved in serious allegations or facing legal risks.
● Lack of Transparency Regarding Overseas Assets and International Organizations
There is a lack of independent audit functions capable of monitoring how assets—formed through the blood, sweat, and tears of members’ donations—are managed and utilized locally.
● Lack of Communication
Rather than providing clear explanations or reasonable justifications to local lay members, the church has consistently resorted to silence and excuses, thereby exacerbating distrust within the church.
4. The Four Major Demands of the [Lay Members Council]
Even if the church’s legal team has concluded its response, this is not the end of the matter.
The wave of investigations by the Joint Investigation Headquarters has the potential to be far greater than that of the Special Prosecutor’s Office. To preemptively overcome the even greater legal and social risks the church may face in the future, we strongly demand the following measures.
● First, please establish an independent fact-finding committee.
This committee must include not only internal church members but also external, objective legal and accounting experts to transparently clarify the facts surrounding the allegations regarding South American assets and funds.
● Second, please establish a “public office eligibility review procedure” for those responsible for the allegations.
Although the appointment of current Administrative Director was already done, appointing individuals close to a defendant to key positions should not be done. Please do not do this again.
Regarding domestic and international leaders facing serious social and legal allegations, please temporarily remove them from their relevant duties until the facts are clearly established.
This is a preventive measure to protect the church.
● Third, please institutionalize a system of regular audits for the management of overseas assets, including those of international organizations and those in the United States and South America.
● Fourth, please transparently disclose the process and results of the investigation to all members in a manner that leaves no room for doubt.
5. Appeal and Cautious Recommendations to Key Leaders
We, the lay members, fully understand and deeply respect the hard work and achievements of the key leaders both domestically and internationally who have supported True Parents most closely and dedicated themselves for many years to the development of the church.
Recently, however, the [Lay Members Council] has been receiving a continuous stream of detailed reports regarding certain individuals who had once enjoyed the deep trust and affection of the True Parents – including key leaders of the Mission Headquarters who were reportedly either dismissed or scheduled to be dismissed with True Mother’s approval; senior officials associated with the U.S. Cheonshimwon;
and university leaders who, in the eyes of church members, maintained particularly close ties with a certain defendant who controlled numerous church properties, including those in Yeosu, the Seoul Metropolitan area, the Gangwon region, and the Cheongpyeong complex;
as well as executives of church-affiliated institutions and companies. These reports allege mismanagement and poor oversight of public assets, and the nature of the allegations is grave.
We do not wish to resort to extreme measures such as filing legal charges against the parties involved or publicly disclosing detailed information.
This is because we believe there is a possibility that these individuals may have achieved merits worthy of recognition by True Parents, and also because we wish to follow True Mother’s words, “Forgive them.” Furthermore, such actions could inflict even greater harm on the Family Federation and True Parents, who are the foundation for all of us.
However, one thing is clear: things will be different from now on.
Therefore, we respectfully request that leaders who currently stand at the center of serious allegations, or who judge themselves to be responsible for personal gain or mismanagement in the performance of their public duties, refrain from accepting public office for a new term and step down voluntarily.
Stepping down from one’s current position and cooperating with the investigation is not a shameful act that needs to be accused.
Rather, it is a dignified decision as a leader to repay the grace of True Parents and prevent members from sharing in this misfortune.
If one voluntarily steps down and all misunderstandings are later resolved, that honor will return in an even greater and more beautiful form.
6. Conclusion
We are not writing this to destroy or condemn anyone.
We are doing this to protect True Parents, to protect the Family Federation, and to leave behind a church that will not bring shame upon future generations.
What the church needs now is neither enforced silence nor emotional condemnation.
It needs a fair investigation, transparent verification, and the responsible resignation and reform of the leadership.
The [Lay Members Council] will continue to uphold the core principle that “the truth will surely come to light.” We will continue to pray for the complete restoration of trust in the church and for the protection and peace of True Parents, the True Family, and the Heavenly Love Inheritors. We are determined to do our utmost to build a healthy Family Federation where justice and love thrive.
2026-05-31
[FFWPU Lay Members Council]