KNOXVILLE — The sidelined CEO of Uncle Nearest, who hoped filing for bankruptcy would put her back in control of the Tennessee whiskey company she founded, had her plans blocked by a federal judge.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Suzanne Bauknight ruled March 19 that Fawn Weaver, who launched Uncle Nearest in 2017, was not authorized to file the bankruptcy petitions she submitted on behalf of the company earlier this week. Uncle Nearest is under the control of a receiver who was appointed to steer the company while a lawsuit against the company over more than $100 million in unpaid debt plays out.
That lawsuit was filed by Louisville-based lender Farm Credit Mid-America. Farm Credit has also alleged Uncle Nearest Inc. hid the receipt of a $20 million loan, in part, from rapper and businessman Jay-Z, using those funds to pay down debts to lenders other than Farm Credit…