Hindu Temple to drop seven lawsuits

By Andria Simmons

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Hindu Temple of Georgia will drop lawsuits against seven former worshippers that alleged they maliciously tried to prosecute and defame its guru, Annamalai Annamalai, also known as Dr. Commander Selvam.

In exchange, the former members have agreed to withdraw claims filed with bankruptcy court stating that the temple owes them a total of $400,000.

Annamalai was arrested in Gwinnett County in 2008 on charges of credit card fraud and practicing medicine without a license.

Several former worshippers told police that the temple overcharged them thousands of dollars for performing ritual services, and one woman claimed that Annamalai, who is not a doctor, offered her medical advice. However, the criminal charges were dropped a year later because prosecutors said there was not enough evidence.

Judge James E. Massey approved the compromise after a hearing Tuesday in federal bankruptcy court in Atlanta. Neither Annamalai nor the parties in the lawsuits came to court. A court-appointed trustee testified that there was little probability of prevailing in the lawsuits. However, the judge said nothing prohibits Annamalai from pursuing the lawsuits separately from the temple.

The temple filed for bankruptcy in August 2009. Its Norcross facility has been foreclosed upon and its furnishings auctioned off, but it could take another year or longer to finish the process, said the trustee, Lloyd Whitaker.

Whitaker is trying to regain money that Annamalai allegedly siphoned away from the temple.

Financial records show Annamalai used temple funds for mortgage payments on his million-dollar mansion in Duluth, loan payments on personal vehicles and credit card payments.

The temple's largest remaining creditor is the IRS, which is seeking $600,000 in unpaid taxes.