Overview of the Case
In a dramatic turn of events, Kirk West, the man accused of stealing over $11 million worth of XRP from Nancy Jones, the widow of the legendary country artist George Jones, has launched a countersuit against her. The 58-year-old Nashville resident was apprehended last year following allegations that he fraudulently took $400,000 in cash alongside more than 5.5 million XRP tokens, which are currently valued at more than $11.6 million, according to market rates reported today.
Claims and Counterclaims
West claims he deserves a share of the financial assets, asserting that he has been wronged by Nancy Jones and is a victim of slander, as indicated in his filing reported by Rolling Stone. The two initially met after George Jones passed away in 2013, when West expressed interest in buying the couple’s home. Their relationship reportedly grew from a business interaction to a romantic involvement, leading West to label himself as a “crypto expert” in 2016 while serving house arrest for bank fraud charges.
Investment Allegations
Throughout their relationship, West allegedly advised Nancy Jones to invest significantly in various cryptocurrencies, including XRP, Ethereum (ETH), Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), and Stellar (XLM). Moreover, it has been claimed that he illicitly transferred some of her crypto assets into his own possession. In 2020, it is believed that West continued to acquire more cryptocurrencies, such as Terra, Flare, Monero, and Songbird, purportedly for Nancy using platforms like Crypto.com and Uphold.
Disappearance of Assets
After terminating their relationship last year amid suspicions of infidelity, Nancy Jones discovered that a crucial Ledger hardware wallet containing the keys to her crypto investments had disappeared. Although she managed to recover around 5 million XRP tokens with legal assistance, over 483,000 XRP—approximately worth more than $1 million—remains unaccounted for.
West’s Response and Legal Proceedings
In response to Nancy’s allegations of theft, West is refuting her claims and insists that he made profitable investments during their time together, which contributed to their collective wealth. He is also seeking half of the crypto assets, cash, and precious metals totaling $6 million, which includes substantial reserves of gold and silver, from the time he departed her residence last year. The countersuit marks the first notable development in this legal battle since private subpoenas were issued last October, as detailed in the Williamson County online court records.
Future Developments
This case continues to unfold, with further updates expected as the legal proceedings advance. As of now, attempts to procure comments from West’s attorney, Dana McLendon, have not yielded a response.
