Nancy Jones, widow of country legend George Jones, found heartbreak long after losing her famous husband—this time not from grief, but allegedly from fraud. Nancy, now 78, had met Kirk West shortly after her famous husband's 2013 death, a vulnerable moment she now believes "wasn't a coincidence," writes Cheyenne Roundtree in her deep dive for Rolling Stone. The former Kirk Leipzig—he'd changed his name in 2015 because it was "too hard" to spell—built trust by posing as a successful real estate investor and "spiritual mentor," gradually moving into Nancy's life and business. Their relationship, which began as friendship and blossomed into romance, eventually put West at the center of managing George Jones' estate and helping run the George Jones Museum. But West's past, detailed in lawsuits and interviews, told a shadier story.
Ex-associates describe a pattern: West would use his charm and false promises to convince vulnerable women to hand over money for investment schemes. He's been tied to defaulted loans and unpaid child support and has been accused of running Ponzi schemes. Even his own exes and stepdaughter recall a man who could be both charismatic and controlling, with accusations ranging from harassment to emotional abuse. Twelve years into their relationship, Nancy finally began to suspect West had been cheating on her—and one day in July discovered $400,000 in cash and $11.6 million in cryptocurrency gone. West, clad in a flashy designer shirt, was arrested at Nashville International Airport, with a one-way ticket to the Philippines in his hand and a new woman at his side. He has pleaded not guilty to felony theft and faces decades in prison if convicted. More here.
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