Phillips: I've Done Nothing Wrong
Religious Leader Tells Congregation About Allegations
POSTED: 3:56 am MST February 5, 2007
UPDATED: 6:53 am MST February 5, 2007
DENVER -- There are new details regarding an exclusive 7News investigation into a prominent Denver religious leader and what appears to be his sideline insurance business.Acen Phillips discussed the matter with his congregation at New Birth Temple of Praise Community Baptist Church on Sunday. He did not give any specifics about the issues raised by 7News investigator Tony Kovaleski, last week.According to The Denver Post, Phillips said he has done nothing wrong.
"Nothing has happened yet," he was quoted by the Post as telling his parishioners. "But when it does, we won't have to change our modus operandi. We're still going to be doing what we are doing -- that's helping people.Phillips' attorney told 7News that his client will talk when they have reviewed the facts.Last week, 7News investigator Tony Kovaleski revealed that Phillips holds $60 million worth of life insurance policies on more than 600 people listed as church employees.Kovaleski also revealed that Phillips' organizations were beneficiaries of a $100,000 life insurance policy on Shelley Lowe, a person of interest in the case of Aarone Thompson, a child who has been missing since 2005.Lowe, 33, died in May from heart failure while authorities were investigating the child's disappearance. Police characterized the case a homicide investigation and a grand jury is investigating.Aarone's father, Aaron Thompson, said he was not aware of the life insurance policy. He is a deacon in Phillips' church.Kovalesk revealed that Lowe's $100,000 policy gave Thompson 10 percent and Phillips' organizations 90 percent, in the event of her death.State authorities are investigating the life insurance program that Phillips operates.
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