Denver Pastor With History Of Civil Lawsuits Accusing Him Of Swindling People Out Of Homes & Savings To Cop Plea In Insurance Fraud Case

In Denver, Colorado, The Rocky Mountain News reports:

• The Rev. Acen Phillips, a longtime activist in Denver's black community, is expected to plead guilty in an insurance fraud case Thursday under a deal that will allow him to avoid jail. Colorado Attorney General John Suthers had charged Phillips with 12 felony counts of forgery, theft and attempted theft involving more than $575,000 from AIG Life Insurance Co.

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• The cases highlight a career in which Phillips has been known for controversy almost as much as for outspokenness. A review of court documents shows a string of nearly 30 civil lawsuits against him [plus another 12 cases listed under the name "Acen Phillips" where it could not be immediately confirmed whether they can be linked to the pastor]. Most of those suits - including the active AIG suits - claimed that Phillips and his business associates either defaulted on loans or swindled people out of their homes and savings.

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• Phillips is linked to at least seven civil lawsuits in the metro area filed against D.T.P. Ministries from 1984 to 1991, according to a courts database and the lawsuits themselves. Two other suits with a slight variation on the name - D.P.T. Ministries - also list Phillips. The D.T.P. suits tell similar stories: That Phillips, working with others, used his status as minister to gain trust and trick people out of their homes.

For the story, see Pastor expected to plead guilty (Acen Phillips would get no jail time under deal in insurance fraud case).