DENVER—A life insurance company that has filed a lawsuit against Denver minister accused of filing fraudulent life-insurance claims on behalf of parishioners wants the case to continue, saying Friday that the possibility that the minister may face criminal charges does not affect the civil case.
AIG Life Insurance Co. filed a civil lawsuit in March accusing Acen L. Phillips and his four affiliated church groups of providing life insurance policies to a group of 316 people, but arranged for any payouts to go to him and his collaborators.
He has been the subject of investigations by the Colorado attorney general and the U.S. attorney for Denver, but no charges have been filed. Acen’s lawyers filed a motion in U.S. District Court asking that the civil case be stopped until the criminal matter was settled.
Phillips’ attorney, Gary Lozow, did not immediately return a message seeking further comment. AIG seeks the return of at least $400,000.
Before the lawsuit was filed, Phillips’ lawyer, Gary Lozow, had said the minister denied wrongdoing.
The documents filed Thursday sought to stay the civil proceedings, until criminal proceedings wrap up.
