FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Nancy Jones, the widow of country music legend George Jones, has allegedly been robbed of millions by her former boyfriend, Kirk West, who was arrested Thursday at Nashville International Airport.
According to Franklin police, West, 58, is accused of stealing approximately $400,000 in cash and a cryptocurrency wallet containing more than 5.5 million XRP tokens from safes inside Jones’ home. At the time of the theft, the XRP was valued at over $11.6 million, but its current worth exceeds $17 million.
Nancy Jones reported the theft on Wednesday, July 24. She told police she had asked her granddaughter to secure items from her safe after growing suspicious of West’s behavior. That’s when the missing funds were discovered.
Court documents reveal that West had exclusive access to the digital wallet’s private key, and he later allegedly told Jones he would return $5 million, stating, “that was all she would get.” Despite legal efforts, Jones has only recovered around 5 million XRP, still losing over $1.5 million in crypto.
Nancy and George Jones were married for over 30 years until his death in 2013. She played a major role in helping him overcome addiction and revive his career. Kirk West, meanwhile, helped launch the George Jones Museum in 2015, which was later sold.
West has been charged with Theft Over $250,000 and is being held on $1 million bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on October 23.
