Judge asked to expand troubled whiskey distillery case, keep records under seal
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Receiver filed a quarterly report and asked the court to keep it under seal.
- Founders seek exclusion of entities, sue ex-CFO and push to reclaim control.
- Company in receivership after $108M default; judge has not yet ruled.
The receiver in charge of running a troubled Tennessee whiskey and bourbon brand has asked to include several related businesses and filed a secret report on the company’s finances and potential litigation.
In the latest twists in the Uncle Nearest distillery case, receiver Phillip G. Young Jr. filed a report late on Jan. 6 and asked U.S. District Judge Charles E. Atchley to keep it under seal.
According to the court-appointed receiver’s request, the second quarterly report contains information that “might chill the receiver’s efforts to seek a refinancing of the debt and/or his efforts to sell the assets of the company.”
The judge had not yet ruled on sealing the report.
Uncle Nearest has been in receivership since last fall after defaulting on $108 million in loans to Kentucky lender Farm Credit.
The receiver indicated that providing specifics on the potential refinancing and/or sale process “or its results thus far could have a negative impact” and hurt the company.
The receiver also said that “disclosure of certain potential litigation at this time could have a negative impact on the value of the company.”
“While the receiver wishes to be candid with the court and the parties to the litigation regarding the progress of all aspects of the receivership, that degree of candor does not extend to competitors, potential investors or the public at large. Disclosure of a substantial amount of information contained in the report could threaten this receivership’s goals and the value of the company,” according to the filing.
The filing came a day after founder Fawn Weaver and her husband, Keith Weaver, asked the court to declare that 10 companies the receiver wanted to include under the receivership umbrella would be excluded. According to the Weavers’ filing, they’ve provided financial records to the receiver and nothing more has been requested.
The judge has yet to rule on that motion or on the receiver’s request to keep the latest quarterly report under seal.
Meanwhile, on Jan. 7, the receiver filed a motion requesting that seven outside entities, including Grant Sidney Inc., be included in the Uncle Nearest/Nearest Green receivership. According to the receiver’s analysis, these related businesses had “significant commingling” of money.
The receiver said there was “no value” in further pursing three other entities but that there might be valuable assets, including “a large number of shares of Uncle Nearest Inc.” that more properly belong to the company.
Without informing the receiver, the Weavers on Dec. 29, 2025, filed their own civil lawsuit against former chief financial officer Michael Senzaki in a Tennessee court, alleging a scheme that cost the Weavers and Fawn Weaver’s company Grant Sidney Inc., which is the primary shareholder of Uncle Nearest, millions through forged stock transfers, false billing and corporate fraud. Senzaki has not responded to the lawsuit yet and no criminal charges have been filed.
The receiver noted that the Weavers’ lawsuit never mentions the receivership or Farm Credit’s original lawsuit, but the receiver indicated that any value resulting from the Weavers’ lawsuit should belong to the receivership.
The receiver asked for a hearing no earlier than Jan. 28 on the inclusion and requested direct access to the financial statements, books and records of the seven entities.
The Weavers also are seeking to have the receivership overturned after slumping sales and want control of the company placed back in their hands.
This story was originally published January 7, 2026 at 2:15 PM.
