CENTENNIAL, Colo. — A prominent Denver-area pastor pleaded guilty Thursday to felony theft in an insurance fraud case and was sentenced to serve probation and pay restitution.
In exchange for the guilty plea by the Rev. Acen Phillips, Arapahoe County prosecutors dropped 11 other counts against him, and AIG Life Insurance Co. dropped a federal lawsuit.
Phillips was sentenced to eight months' probation and ordered to pay $500,000 in restitution. He was also sentenced to perform 100 hours of community service and told to attend a theft-offenders class and a victim empathy group.
Phillips, founder of New Birth Temple of Praise Community Baptist Church, was accused of defrauding AIG of $575,000. He could have faced as many as 81 years in prison and up to $5 million in fines if convicted of all counts.
Phillips said he was deeply sorry.
People are also reading…
"I would like to apologize to the court and my community," he said. "I would certainly like the opportunity to redeem myself to the community."
At issue were claims filed under a group life insurance policy taken out for American Church United, which prosecutors say was headed by Phillips.
Prosecutors had accused Phillips, of suburban Aurora, of falsifying documents to funnel money to church groups he controlled, sometimes showing up at funerals to make contact with family members about filing an insurance claim.
In at least one instance, prosecutors alleged Phillips asked a mother to sign her dead son's name on a beneficiary form a few days after the funeral.
