ORLANDO, Fla. – An Orlando-area church leader is accused of conspiring with an insurance agent to fraudulently apply for a life insurance policy using a Wisconsin woman’s identity without her consent, according to an affidavit for an arrest warrant.
The Florida Department of Financial Services, Bureau of Insurance Fraud, submitted the affidavit to the court as part of a criminal investigation involving Gary Wheeler and co-defendant Katrina Ann Phillips.
What we know:
Gary Wheeler, who identifies himself as a “bishop” at Changing Your World Church in Ocoee, and Katrina Ann Phillips, a licensed insurance agent, are facing felony charges after allegedly conspiring to submit a fraudulent life insurance application using a Wisconsin woman’s identity without her consent.
Investigators say the policy named Wheeler as the sole beneficiary and was maintained with payments he made over the course of more than a year.
The Florida Department of Financial Services alleges the policy was created without the victim’s knowledge and sustained through phone communications.
What we don’t know:
It remains unclear whether the pair intended to cash in on the policy, and authorities have not released information on whether any payout attempts were made. It’s also unknown if additional policies or victims may be tied to the accused.
The backstory:
According to the affidavit, the scheme began in January 2022 when Phillips submitted a life insurance application listing the victim, a woman who resides in Wisconsin, as the insured party and Wheeler as both the payor and beneficiary.
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The victim, who lives in Milwaukee and suffers from serious medical issues, said she was unaware of the policy’s existence and never authorized its creation. She later submitted documentation proving she was physically incapable of traveling to Florida at the time the application was allegedly signed.
Timeline:
Below is a timeline of the alleged criminal actives as outlined by authorities:
Jan. 5, 2022: Application for the policy is allegedly submitted by Phillips in Orange County.Feb.–Oct. 2022: Phillips allegedly made several calls to UHL related to policy management.Nov. 2022–Jan. 2024: Wheeler allegedly continues making monthly premium payments.July 2023: UHL mail returned; the policy is flagged and sent to the victim, who disputes its legitimacy.Feb. 2024: Victim formally denies knowledge of the policy and provides medical records.June 2025: Both Phillips and Wheeler are interviewed by investigators and offer conflicting accounts.October 2025: Arrest warrant affidavit is submitted; Wheeler is arrested and faces three felony charges.
What they’re saying:
In a statement to investigators, the victim said she had “never lived in Florida” and had “no knowledge of any policy” taken out in her name. She also said that she had undergone major surgery just weeks before the alleged signing date and was physically unable to travel.
Wheeler, during a June interview, admitted the victim “was not in Florida” at the time and acknowledged making the policy payments, the affidavit states.
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Phillips claimed the application was signed in the victim’s presence at a church event—an assertion directly contradicted by the victim’s sworn statements and medical records.
The victim told investigators that Wheeler had served as her pastor at a church in Milwaukee, where she resides.
What’s next:
Wheeler is facing three felony charges: filing a false and fraudulent insurance application, criminal use of personal identification information, and scheming to defraud.
The Source: This story was written based on documents filed in the Circuit Court of the Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Orange County NewsCrime and Public Safety
