A North Carolina pastor has been sued for collecting large sums of money on alleged bogus log-term disability claims. The Rev Dr Cynthia Lynn McCullough, who claims she’s suffering from a chronic pain condition is being sued by her insurer after she was spotted in photos playing Skee-Ball and gleefully going down an inflatable slide.
McCullough, of Charlotte, told her insurer that she could not bathe or dress due to discomfort and complications from complex regional pain syndrome, a persistent condition typically affecting one limb after an injury. As such, McCullough said she needed constant home care, the Charlotte Observer reports, Her insurer New York Life filed the lawsuit in federal court in Charlotte on Friday.
Rev. Dr. Cynthia McCullough [left] formerly of St. John AME Church has claimed disability for 8 years, falsely, the insurer said
Since 2010, McCullough has received roughly $389,500 through her comprehensive long-term care insurance policy, but now New York Life wants those funds back after McCullough was seen in Facebook photos going down a slide, playing Skee-Ball and frolicking alongside children at an arcade.
The insurer is alleging in the lawsuit that the pastor had no problem loading her SUV with objects while their investigators conducted surveillance in late December 2016 and early January 1, 2017. Investigators also observed the pastor drive about 50 miles to a church in Rutherfordton, where she apparently is a pastor, according to the lawsuit.
Rev. Cynthia McCullough is seen in Photos from her church’s Facebook page going down an inflatable slide and playing Skee-Ball.St.
McCullough also drove 50 miles from Charlotte to a church in Rutherfordton, where she apparently serves as a pastor, according to the lawsuit.
McCullough was identified as the pastor of St. John AME Zion Church in Rutherfordton by Rutherford Weekly in August, but parishioners told the Charlotte Observer that the church has had a new pastor in place since last fall.
The pastor was also spotted during a 15-day period last year driving herself to various locations, including a doctor’s office, a bank, restaurants and a gas station, where she pumped her own gas, according to the lawsuit.
New York Life claim they informed McCullough last year that they were stopping her payments, instead she appealed and claimed her disease was “severe and debilitating,” according to the lawsuit.
Parishioner calls for prayer to relieve Rev. Dr. Cynthia McCullough [photo, below], of her chronic pain
Complex regional pain syndrome is more common in women, but can occur in anyone at any age. Patients describe prolonged severe pain as the key symptom, often a “burning” sensation in the affected limbs, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
In more than 90 percent of cases, the condition is caused by trauma or injury such as fractures, sprains or soft tissue wounds.
A write-up on JourneytoTheCross lists Cynthia Lynn McCullough as the daughter, niece and aunt of clergy, reared and ordained in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. According to the publication, she served as a pastor, administrator, Bishop’s Executive and President of Clinton Junior College, but In 1995, adopted the Presbyterian Church, USA as her new spiritual home and was ordained there as a Minister.
The write-up goes on to say that Dr McCullough graduated from Furman University 1982 and obtained a Masters from Southeastern Seminary in 1987. She obtained her doctorate from Drew University in 1994.
it further adds that Dr McCullough was completing post-doctoral studies in pastoral psychotherapy and counseling when a serious accident forced her to leave the parish ministry.
She is listed as now, mostly retired for health reasons.
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