The first public allegations against former Archbishop Anthony Apuron surfaced in 2014, when John Toves claimed that his cousin had been sexually abused by Apuron decades earlier. 

Apuron denied the claim and threatened legal action.

Then in 2016, the allegations exploded into public view. 

Roy Quintanilla, Walter Denton, Roland Sondia, and the estate of the late Joseph “Sonny” Quinata each accused Apuron of sexual abuse when they were altar boys in Agat in the 1970s.

The most personal claim came in 2018, when Apuron’s nephew, Mark Mafnas Apuron, filed a lawsuit alleging that his uncle raped him in the chancery in Agana around 1990.

At the time, Mark was 43-year-old and sought $5 million in damages.

Again, Apuron denied the allegation. 

That same year, a Vatican Tribunal found Apuron guilty of abusing minors. 

He was removed from office and exiled from Guam. 

However, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, all nine cases were dismissed with prejudice, meaning the victims cannot bring the same claims against Apuron before a court again.

Responding to the news of the dismissals, Apuron said, “Over the past decade, I have been unjustly condemned by the media and in the public opinion because of certain false accusations made against me.”

“Today, the claims made against me in nine cases have been dismissed permanently,” added Apuron. 

He emphasizes that he never entered into any settlement agreements, nor has he paid any sum of money to any of the victims.

“Today’s dismissals come from the plaintiffs and are further evidence of my innocence,” Apuron said. 

Apuron also challenges interpretations of the Vatican trial, claiming he was never laicized, and adding, “The canonical process did not result in my laicization. No priest or bishop who has been found guilty of these crimes has remained a priest or a bishop as I have. This indicates my innocence.”

Apuron has not returned to Guam since the accusations emerged in 2016.

While these lawsuits have been dismissed, the Vatican's sanctions remain in place.