Tennessee Man Arrested for Robbing Partner

A Tennessee man has been arrested for robbing his partner, Nancy Jones, widow of country singer George Jones, stealing about $400,000 in cash and over $11 million in cryptocurrency.

Reports from WKRN state that Kirk West, 58, of Franklin, was arrested at Nashville International Airport on July 24. This occurred a day after authorities began their investigation, as West attempted to flee with the stolen money and digital assets.

Criminal Steals $11 Million in Crypto

Court documents reveal that Nancy filed a police report on July 23 regarding the theft. West allegedly broke into two safes in her home around June 26, seizing cash and her Ledger crypto wallet. This wallet reportedly contained over 5.5 million XRP units, worth approximately $2.10 each at the time of theft.

Interestingly, the value of the stolen digital assets increased to $17 million by the time of West’s apprehension. While Nancy’s legal team managed to recover about 5 million XRP, half of the tokens are currently unaccounted for, valued at around $1.5 million.

Nancy and West met in 2013 after George Jones’s passing. According to Nancy’s affidavit, West pretended to be interested in buying one of her properties, leading to a romantic relationship. Nancy supported West, despite his lack of a job or finances at the time.

West to Appear in Court on October 23

This isn’t West’s first legal trouble; he pleaded guilty to federal bank fraud in 2016. He faked financial documents to con Reliant Bank for real estate loans, with Nancy covering his legal fees and over half of his $800,000 restitution.

While under house arrest, West encouraged Nancy to invest in cryptocurrencies, claiming expertise. The total amount invested remains unclear, but Nancy confirmed she lost $1.5 million worth of XRP that she cannot recover.

After suspecting infidelity, Nancy sought help to secure her safes on June 26 and found them emptied. West was evicted two days later, warning her about the funds’ retrieval. His bond is set at $1 million, and he faces theft charges, with a court date scheduled for October 23. As of now, Nancy has not released a public statement, but her attorney acknowledges her victimization in this situation.