Weavers Sue Former Uncle Nearest CFO, Alleging Fraud

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Published by Bright Kwofie at January 6, 2026

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Uncle Nearest co-founders Fawn and Keith Weaver have filed a lawsuit against former Chief Financial Officer Mike Senzaki, alleging a pattern of financial misconduct tied to the company’s lending and internal operations.

The complaint accuses Senzaki of fraud, forgery, breach of fiduciary duty, and other claims, as the founders argue they were misled about key financial decisions made during his tenure.

In the filing, the Weavers allege Senzaki presented inflated or misleading financial information connected to a major loan process—claims they say contributed to serious financial fallout for the company. Uncle Nearest has not only disputed the narrative around how the loan was secured, but has also positioned its case against Senzaki as central to what it says went wrong behind the scenes.

Uncle Nearest’s Legacy on the Line

The genesis of this lawsuit stems from Mike Senzaki’s role as Chief Financial Officer of Uncle Nearest Company and Farm Credit Mid-America.

In view of this, the company alleges that Senzaki helped secure a large loan by presenting information that made Uncle Nearest’s finances appear stronger than they were, including claims that inventory values were inflated and certain liabilities were not properly disclosed.

The hard-built legacy is now on the line; a charge of over $108 million has been placed on them, and they’ve not been able to pay back the loan. The company then sued Senzaki because it alleges he championed the loan process using misleading information, leading the bank to believe the information was genuine for such a large amount requested.

Alleged Financial Tactics Behind the Loan

The lawsuit stated that Senzaki presented this information to the Farm Mid-America bank to secure the loan successfully. Firstly, he inflated the inventory values of the company (Uncle Nearest) to make it more lucrative to the bank and also concealed the unpaid debts of the debtors.

Additionally, Senzaki manipulated invoices to show that vendors had been paid, making the loan application stronger before the bank. He also used the founders’ equity as collateral to make it seem that the founders are even in support of the loan.

Furthermore, he misrepresented Uncle Nearest’s financial statement to appear healthier, to secure the bank’s trust. These actions by CFO Senzaki allegedly led others to believe that the Weavers are guaranteed that loan.

The Genesis of Uncle Nearest and the Lawsuit

The whiskey brand Uncle Nearest was founded in 2017, named after Nathan Nearest Green, who taught Jack Daniel how to make Whiskey. The masterminds behind this whiskey brand are Fawn Weaver and her husband, Keith Weaver.

This incident occurred in July 2025 and has been a matter of back-and-forth among the Bank, the Uncle Nearest, and Mike Senzaki; however, the company is still operating under the appointment of the receiver, who acts as the managing director.

As a result of this lawsuit against CFO Mike Senzaki, he has been accused of fraud, forgery, defamation, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of loyalty, among other allegations. This attitude of the Chief Financial Officer has been regarded as misconduct that discredits the financial profession.

Federal Judge Orders Receivership

Separately from the Weavers’ lawsuit against Senzaki, Uncle Nearest has been operating under a court-appointed receivership since July 2025, tied to a lender dispute involving Farm Credit Mid-America.

Main image: Fawn Weaver