Update: Lawsuit Filed Against Doug Phillips by Lourdes Torres-Manteufel

By the HA Editorial Team 

On Monday, Spiritual Sounding Board published an update on the lawsuit filed by Lourdes Torres-Manteufel against Doug Phillips and Vision Forum Ministries. SSB reports that the lawsuit is proceeding in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and in Texas state court.

Assurance Company of America, an insurance company, filed the federal lawsuit against Doug Phillips, Vision Forum and Lourdes Torres-Manteufel in order to avoid obligations to compensate Torres-Manteufel for any damages she may be rewarded. The case is set for trial in July 2015.

The original lawsuit filed by Torres-Manteufel now includes three additional defendants: Don Hart, Scott Brown, and James Zes. All three were members of the board of directors at Vision Forum. The case is set for trial in March 2016.

This is the latest update on the events following Doug Phillips’ resignation from Vision Forum Ministries in October 2013, due to what he called “an inappropriate relationship.” In April 2014, Lourdes Torres-Manteufel filed a complaint against Phillips in Kendall County District Court in Texas, accusing him of using her as a “personal sex object.” She worked closely with the Phillips family for a period of several years, caring for their children, helping out on their family farm and working for Vision Forum Ministries in various capacities.

Statements made by Torres-Manteufel and her attorney, David Gibbs, alleged that Phillips used her close relationship to his family to groom her as a victim and his status as her employer to coerce her into a non-consensual intimate relationship.