A Greater Des Moines subsidiary of American International Group Inc. (AIG) has accused a former claims adjustor of participating in a scheme to collect nearly $1 million in payments for the repair of construction defects to companies that performed little, if any, of the work.

Christina Pender of Ankeny was fired Jan. 5 after an internal investigation by an AIG auditor and supervisor at Chartis Claims Inc. in West Des Moines, where Pender had worked since October 2009.

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting Pender, Larry Hinkel, identified in court records as Pender’s boyfriend, Derrick Cloud, Paul Cloud and MDP Group Inc. from spending any money obtained from bills submitted to Chartis and paid by other AIG-affiliated insurance companies.

In all, 270 checks totaling $991,000 were issued after Pender authorized claims for repair work, according the lawsuit filed on behalf of Chartis and other AIG subsidiaries.