Kirk West, the manager of the George Jones Museum and business partner of Jones’ widow Nancy, has pled guilty to two counts of bank fraud and will serve two years in prison. Additionally, West must pay nearly a million dollars in restitution to Reliant Bank.
The charges stem from a pair of loans procured by West in 2008 and 2010 on properties in Brentwood and Belle Meade. According to the plea agreement, West used forged documents to inflate his income and net worth on personal financial statements, including fraudulent W-2 forms and income tax returns.
The U.S. Attorney’s office filed charges in July. His plea agreement was filed with Judge Aleta Trauger on Sept. 19. According to the terms of the deal, he must pay $935,045.04 before his next hearing on Dec. 20. The Scene left a message for West at his office at the museum, but he has yet to return the call.
West, also known as Kirk Leipzig, is also the subject of a $33,830.53 collection proceeding from Mercedes-Benz in Davidson County Circuit Court.
The country music legend died on April 26, 2013, and almost two years later, Nancy Jones and West opened the museum.
