Shelbyville, TN - An update on the Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey story that’s unfolding about 20 miles down US 231-S in neighboring Shelbyville--reveals a mix of legacy, controversy, and community concern.
Receivership Rocks Whiskey Giant
Uncle Nearest, the award-winning whiskey brand built to honor formerly enslaved distiller Nearest Green, is now under federal receivership after allegedly defaulting on over $100 million in loans. The brand’s founder, Fawn Weaver, has denied wrongdoing, blaming a former CFO for financial mismanagement and calling the allegations “lies.”
Legacy at Risk: What About the Green Descendants?
Central to Weaver’s mission was the creation of the Nearest Green Foundation, which she said would support Green’s descendants. Weaver herself is not a descendant, but has long positioned herself as a steward of his legacy. Now, amid financial chaos, questions are surfacing about whether the Foundation has continued to fulfill its promises. Public records offer little clarity, and the silence around the Foundation’s current activities is raising eyebrows.
Community Impact: A Promise in Question
For many in Shelbyville and beyond, the Uncle Nearest brand isn’t just about whiskey—it’s about justice, history, and reparative storytelling. If commitments to the Green family have been fumbled, it would mark a painful betrayal of the brand’s moral foundation.
Shelves Cleared, Questions Remain
Weaver has urged supporters to “clear the shelves” in solidarity, but some are asking for more than loyalty—they want transparency. As the receivership unfolds, the fate of the Nearest Green Foundation and its impact on the Green descendants, remains a critical part of the story.
This isn’t just a business dispute. It’s a moment of reckoning for a brand built on legacy, and a community that's watching closely.
- You can read about the history of Uncle Nearest on their website (HERE).
Previous News Article from Last Week: Uncle Nearest, a Tennessee whiskey company founded in 2017, is now under court-ordered receivership after defaulting on over $108 million in loans from Farm Credit Mid-America. A judge ruled on August 14, 2025, that a neutral receiver was needed to protect the company’s assets and stabilize operations after accusations of false reporting about whiskey barrel inventory. Uncle Nearest’s founders, Fawn and Keith Weaver, argued against the move, saying it would harm the brand and blamed former CFO Mike Senzaki, who was fired in 2024, for inflating inventory by about $21 million—which led to a $24 million loan increase. While day-to-day business continues, the company’s future now depends on who the court chooses as receiver, a decision expected before Fawn Weaver’s 49th birthday on September 5, 2025. Read the full article from WGNS Radio Below...
FULL DETAILS: BEDFORD COUNTY, TN - Legal filings between Tennessee whiskey maker Uncle Nearest, Inc. and its lender, Farm Credit Mid-America, continue to draw attention after a federal court granted the bank’s request to place the company under receivership. A receiver is a neutral third party appointed by the court to manage a business’s assets when financial or managerial problems threaten its survival.
Farm Credit, which has the most at stake, argued that Uncle Nearest was in dire financial distress, defaulting on loans and providing inaccurate information about its whiskey barrel inventory. The bank warned that without intervention, the company’s value could collapse, hurting creditors, investors, and employees. On August 14, 2025, Judge Charles Atchley agreed, ruling that a receivership was necessary to stabilize operations, safeguard assets, and restore creditor confidence.
Uncle Nearest opposed the move, arguing that receivership would damage its brand and undermine the work of its founders, Fawn and Keith Weaver. The company acknowledged financial struggles but attributed much of the problem to alleged mismanagement by former CFO Mike Senzaki, who was fired in October 2024. Court filings state that between 2022 and 2023, Senzaki overstated inventory by about $21 million, which in turn supported a $24 million line-of-credit increase. Uncle Nearest has insisted these errors were his responsibility, while suggesting the bank also failed to independently verify the inventory.
The Weavers asked the court to order mediation instead of receivership, but Judge Atchley denied the request, citing urgency and concerns over confidentiality after Weaver publicly commented about the case online. While the company pushed for time to work with investors, the judge concluded that mediation would only delay relief already warranted for Farm Credit.
The case highlights a dramatic shift for Uncle Nearest, which was launched in 2017 to honor Nathan “Nearest” Green, the formerly enslaved man who taught Jack Daniel to make whiskey. In less than a decade, the brand became a national success, with Weaver celebrating “ten consecutive quarters of triple-digit growth” and distribution in 25,000 locations as of 2023. Weaver’s long-term vision was to place Nearest Green alongside Johnnie Walker, Jim Beam, and Jack Daniel in whiskey’s “Mount Rushmore.”
Now, that vision faces uncertainty. Uncle Nearest owes more than $108 million and has already paid $16.5 million toward its debt in the past 18 months, according to court filings. Weaver told investors in an email obtained by Forbes that more than 160 backers had offered to buy the loan outright, but Farm Credit “never came to the table.” She also claimed the bank and its advisors spent months urging the company to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which she resisted to protect investor equity.
Another article posted by Yahoo Fiance further highlighted Senzaki and the court process (Click Here).
For now, Uncle Nearest continues day-to-day operations, but its future depends on who the court selects as receiver and how broad their authority will be. Both Farm Credit and Uncle Nearest have submitted candidate names or contracted companies for the role, and a decision is expected in the coming weeks—potentially before Weaver’s 49th birthday on September 5, 2025.
View PDF Copies of Some of the court documents below:
- WGNS will continue to follow this news story.
