Wes Henderson, the CEO behind Kentucky Castle and True Story Whiskey, has been fired after family members accused him of secretly recording them in a lawsuit that has been sealed. Henderson has denied the allegations.
Wes Henderson fired as CEO
Wes Henderson has been fired as CEO of TKC Distilling, the company behind the Kentucky Castle and True Story Whiskey. The decision followed allegations outlined in a sealed lawsuit, as per WLKY.
According to a statement released Saturday morning, the company’s board and leadership ended his employment with immediate effect. The company did not share more details about the allegations.
Kyle Henderson will take over as CEO for both the Kentucky Castle and True Story Whiskey. The board said it will conduct a “full and independent investigation” into the allegations.
“The company remains committed to addressing the matter with responsibility and to ensuring that the investigation is conducted thoroughly and fairly,” the statement said.
“Since these are allegations only before I could issue a notice of suspension, Deputy Henderson stepped away from his position with the Coroner’s office, taking an unpaid leave of absence until further notice,” Pendleton said.
Pendleton did not share more details about the allegations or say how long the leave will last.
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What the lawsuit alleges
According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, family members of Henderson filed the lawsuit in June in Oldham County. They accuse him of invasion of privacy, voyeurism, and possession or viewing of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor.
A court filing says some underage family members were captured nude on the cameras.
According to the lawsuit, the family members were staying at Henderson’s home near Melbourne, Florida, in June 2025 when they found several hidden cameras. Some of the cameras could reportedly live-stream. The family members later handed the cameras and recorded footage to law enforcement.
The filing says they removed about 15 hidden cameras and their SD cards. After returning home, they reviewed some of the footage. According to the filing, it showed intimate acts, as well as images of the family members undressed and using the restroom.
The lawsuit says the cameras were hidden in several places, including fire alarms, behind a mirror, inside a fan, a clock, a speaker, a bathroom air vent above the toilet, charging blocks and plug outlet extenders.
According to the filing, “there are a total of 40 people identified as being captured without their knowledge.” It also alleges that some footage showed Henderson placing the cameras and positioning them to record views of a bed.
The filing further says some videos from the SD cards showed sex at the Kentucky Castle, which the lawsuit says is connected to one of Henderson’s business interests.
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Henderson denies the claims
On Friday afternoon, an attorney for Henderson issued a statement, as per the Herald-Leader.
“Wes unequivocally denies the allegations in the lawsuit. It is our understanding that the complaint will be voluntarily dismissed. If that does not happen, he is prepared to vigorously defend himself.”
Who is Wes Henderson?
Henderson is a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. He is best known as the founder of Angel’s Envy, which was reportedly sold to Bacardi in 2015 for $150 million.
He later bought the Kentucky Castle in Versailles, in Woodford County, a wedding and tourist spot with a hotel and restaurant. He has owned it since 2023. He also launched a new whiskey brand, True Story, with plans for a $92 million distillery nearby. Those plans are now on hold.
Henderson is also facing other lawsuits over unpaid debts linked to his distilling and hospitality businesses, according to the Herald-Leader. Architects Luckett & Farley, which designed the shelved distillery, says it is owed more than $936,000. Bourbon Hall of Famer Peggy Noe Stevens says her consulting company is owed more than $510,000.
In another lawsuit filed in June, GMR Marketing says TKC Distilling owes it more than $120,000. All three lawsuits are still pending.
