Pastor Charged With Defrauding Followers

DENVER – A prominent pastor accused of falsifying life insurance documents to profit from deaths in his congregation was charged with theft and forgery, the attorney general said Tuesday.

The criminal complaint against Acen Phillips echoes the allegations in a lawsuit filed this year by AIG Life Insurance Co.

At issue are claims filed under a group life insurance policy taken out for American Church United, described as a group of Baptist churches that prosecutors say was headed by Phillips.

Prosecutors allege Phillips, the founder of New Birth Temple of Praise Community Baptist Church, forged the documents to funnel money to church groups he controlled, sometimes showing up at funerals to make contact with family members about filing a claim.

Phillips was charged Monday with seven counts of theft and five counts of forgery on suspicion of defrauding the insurance company of $575,000, state Attorney General John Suthers said.

At least some of the money went to church groups Phillips controlled, Suthers said, but he declined to discuss whether or how much of the funds might have gone to Phillips.

Prosecutors allege that in all five cases, relatives said they dealt only with Phillips in filing claims. Prosecutors also claim that handwriting analysis indicates the beneficiary documents were likely all changed by the same person.

Phillips could face as many as 81 years in prison and as much as $5 million in fines if convicted on all counts. Phillips has been asked to appear at a court hearing on Sept. 19, and there are no plans to arrest him, Suthers said.

In a written statement issued through attorney Gary Lozow, Phillips said he must remain silent on the charges for now and criticized Suthers for making the announcement and releasing case documents.

“I would also ask that the community of faith keep me and my family lifted in prayer as I look forward to my fair day in court,” Phillips said.

AIG’s lawsuit claims Phillips took out the policy to cover its full-time ministers but later allowed anyone, not just employees, to be covered if they paid a monthly $50 fee.

Company spokesman Joseph Norton declined to comment on the criminal case.

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