agingrebel.com
Nashville Bike Week promoter Michael
Lewis “Mike” Leffingwell, who also answers to Mike Axle and Christopher
Ashley, photo above, remains incarcerated in the Warren County Regional
Jail in Bowling Green, Kentucky today after his arrest Monday.
Leffingwell is a convicted conman who
had outstanding warrants for his arrest in Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia
and Missouri. He had previous convictions for theft and perjury. In a
2006 fraud case, Leffingwell agreed to a plea agreement that sentenced
him to 30 months in prison; three years supervised release and 500
hours in a residential substance abuse program. He also agreed to pay
his victims $249,000 in restitution.
He is being held without bail.
Long Con
Leffingwell has been selling tickets to
his proposed event for the last 13 months. At least 4,700 people have
bought advance tickets for what Leffingwell has been calling “the
newest 10-day rally in over 60 years.” Leffingwell claimed Nashville
Bike Week would begin next September 14 and continue through September
24 Leffingwell, in an interview with Nashville television station WTVF,
is the source for the 4,700 ticket sales statistic. He has also claimed
to expect total attendance at the rally to exceed 150,000.
“The scenic state of Tennessee is within
hours of more than a dozen other states and with so much to offer,
Nashville Bike Week is more than just a rally; it’s an experience.”
Leffingwell has written. His gullible victims expected to enjoy “101
bands on four stages with nine stunt shows daily.”
Nashville television station WZTV is reporting that Leffingwell “has already received more than a million dollars in ticket sales.”
In March Leffingwell claimed to have
invested $900,000 in the proposed event. At the same time he said,
“After discussing it with our attorneys, there is no refunds. Sell your
ticket if you don’t want to come…. I don’t want you at our event if you
are a whiner and a crier. How can you even ride a bike if you act like
that?”
The scam began to unravel last February
when Loretta Lynn’s Ranch and Camp Grounds in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee
announced it was “cutting ties with Nashville Bike Week” for failing
“to meet the financial terms of” an “agreement.”
Stop Believing
Last month, Leffingwell claimed to have a
deal with the Opryland Hotel. After Opryland backed out he claimed to
have a deal with a local campground.
Then he announced on Facebook, “As of
Today due to Opryland Hotel and the Campground being harassed they Both
have pulled out. Nashville Bike week has met with attorneys today and
The Bands, Entertainment, staging, Vendors have been paid or paid in
full. Which leads to option 1 let the Haters win and File Bankruptcy and
everyone loses. Option 2 -Get us a place to throw this party! Option 3-
Take legal hard against all parties involved ruining this event. We
chose 2 and 3 ! We have figured out the permits as long as we don’t camp
anymore than 5,000 on site over 18 hours we are good to go.”
Leffingwell did not explain why Nashville Bike Week would have “haters.”
Just today, the Nashville Bike Week Facebook page told ticket holders:
“DO NOT BELIEVE WHAT THE NEWS IS TELLING YOU. It is all FALSE.”
“Everyone who actually purchased a
ticket KNOWS 10 day general admission including primitive camping as
never costed more than $225 ( not including tax), and was even less
expensive if you purchased tickets at an early bird rate. I also feel
our camping accommodations were made more than affordable as you can
also see below a 10 day 30 amp electric spot only costed $329.25. For
the entertainment we have lined up for our customers, tickets and
camping accommodations were made very reasonable!!!
“With that being said, we have a new
venue locked down. A major announcement will be made very soon, but
please trust and listen to what we the promoters and people putting this
event on are telling you. We are the individuals working every day to
put this on. I do not know why the media is so against us but enough is
enough. STAND WITH US!!!! We are going to have one hell of an event!!!
“Please only get the facts from us! If you have questions you can reach us via Facebook or by emailing info.nbw17@gmail.com. Updates about our new venue will be made public any day!
“Thank you for your loyalty and support!!! We are a brotherhood, it’s time to act like it and stand up against discrimination!!!
“Please share!”
