The United States has warned it may downgrade Fiji to its lowest ranking on a global human trafficking index, a move that could jeopardize millions of dollars in development assistance. A State Department official stated that the decision hinges on Fiji’s response to allegations of organized crime linked to a South Korean-origin religious sect.
Fiji currently sits at the second-lowest level, the Tier 2 Watchlist, in the annual Trafficking in Persons report. A downgrade to Tier 3 would place it alongside nations such as Cambodia and North Korea, potentially cutting off non-humanitarian U.S. aid and influencing other international lenders to reconsider their support.
The warning follows reports that at least four U.S. citizens, including two children, have escaped from the group in recent months. The organization, which runs supermarkets, beauty salons, and restaurants, has grown into a powerful economic force in the island nation over the past decade.
The State Department’s latest trafficking report cited indicators of forced labor, including excessive work hours without rest, physical violence, passport confiscation, and unpaid wages among its members. Local police have forwarded four investigation files to prosecutors between 2024 and 2025, with some cases involving U.S. citizens.
Fiji has until the end of March to demonstrate progress or face the automatic downgrade. The government has responded by forming a task force involving multiple ministries, including justice, policing, immigration, and finance. Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka confirmed that joint investigations into several cases involving the group are nearing completion.
Although the U.S. contributed only $6.5 million to Fiji in 2023, an expert on Pacific development aid noted that the real impact could come from influencing larger multilateral bodies, such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, which provide tens of millions of dollars annually. This could also disrupt plans for a major U.S. aid initiative aimed at reducing poverty and promoting economic growth.
The group has denied any wrongdoing. Its founder, a South Korean woman, remains imprisoned in her home country on convictions including child abuse and fraud. Despite outstanding arrest warrants for other leaders, the group has continued to expand its operations, recently announcing plans for a 60-room hotel.
Former members have described harsh treatment, including public humiliation rituals known as “the threshing floor” and beatings for minor infractions. Allegations include being forced to work from early morning to late at night in businesses owned by the organization. While these claims could not be independently verified, they align with testimony from previous members and legal findings from the leader’s trial abroad.