George Jones Investor & Museum Manager Pleads Guilty to Fraud
The manager of the George Jones Museum in Nashville, and a major investor and partner of George Jones’ widow Nancy Jones, is headed to prison for two years and owes nearly $1 million in restitution after pleading guilty to two counts of bank fraud.
The fraud occurred in 2008 and 2010 via Reliant Bank in Nashville when Kirk West, also known as Kirk Leipzig, lied about his income, and forged documents and pay stubs to dramatically inflate his net worth on tax documents. The purpose of the fraud was to secure loans on properties in the Brentwood and Belle Meade areas of Nashville.
Federal charges were filed in July 2016 against West with Judge Aleta Trauger, and he plead guilty to the charges on September 19th. Along with the two years in prison, West agrees to pay $935,045.04 in restitution to Reliant Bank by December 20th, according to The Nashville Scene.
Kirk West was an important figure in getting the 50,000 sq. ft. George Jones Museum in the Lower Broadway portion of Nashville opened so quickly after the location was purchased and plans for the museum and event space were proposed.
“For Nancy to open the newly renovated George Jones Museum, Tennessee laws had to be rewritten,” says the law firm of Bone, McAllester, and Norton, who helped usher legislation through the state government to allow all facets of the multi-use space to be allowed, including a rooftop bar and package liquor operation for the George Jones-branded “White Lightning” alcohol sold on the premises.
October 22, 2016 @ 9:04 am
And tomorrow you can find him right here still doing time..
October 22, 2016 @ 10:46 am
I hope the best for Nancy and George’s estate. Hopefully this will not negatively impact them. RIP George gone but never forgotten!
October 22, 2016 @ 2:30 pm
Sorry, I think Nancy was a scam artist. She screwed George and Tammy’s kids out of their inheritance, and Tammy’s husband did the same thing. May they both rot!
November 29, 2016 @ 3:16 pm
Georgette jones done nothing but ask for money from George look up the video on online of him saying that’s all she’s done and he was done giving. You can’t give a fool money if georgette had taken her inheritance at once instead of trying to scam the tad bracket she would have got her money instead she got $12,000 and Richie flew the coop.
October 22, 2016 @ 3:28 pm
Family members fighting over money that they didn’t earn is one of the most disgusting acts of selfishness and greed that I can think of, and it happens all too often.
October 22, 2016 @ 4:27 pm
I think Nancy is a beautiful and a good person my wife and I have been in there lots of time and we are from Ohio and that’s why we are moving to Nashville in April. Because Nancy and the people that work there always are so kind .
October 22, 2016 @ 7:26 pm
Most of these vanity “museums” or venture don’t have a long shelf-life after the artist is no longer in the spotlight. This seems to make the odds of success for the George Jones museum even longer.
October 23, 2016 @ 1:07 pm
So sorry Nancy, You have worked so hard to keep GEORGE’S memories alive for his Fans !!! And. Thank. You. Nancy For Sharring. George With Us. He WAS. AND IS
STILL THE BEST COUNTRY. SINGER MUSIC HAS EVER HAD!!!!! R I P GEORGE
I NEVER GOT. TO MEET YOU HERE ON EARTH. MAYBE I WILL. IN HEAVEN
A TRUE FAN. Dorothy. Sennett. McAlester. OK
October 23, 2020 @ 9:26 am
Lol Nancy kept George’s name going for the money. If he love him that much why on earth did she have another man after George died. She is a Greedy women and needs to know his kids are his blood not her daughters. She should go back to when she drank and took drugs and sleeping in a car. She see money
January 7, 2017 @ 11:29 am
Nancy is all about money. Why did she need a invester for the museum shes got over 30 million. It was a way to capitalize off of George one last time.
November 17, 2021 @ 12:50 am
George Jones was blackmailed into that marrige. Nancy took control of George when he was at his lowest. He simply had to play along with the charade.
October 29, 2022 @ 8:10 pm
One should read the story book that George Jones wanted the truth in his book.
I have read the book. George Jones truly loved his wife Nancy and states how she saved his life. Remember they were married for 30 years. When George Jones and Nancy married in 1983, George had nothing.