CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – U.S.Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia has agreed to pay nearly $5.2 million in overdue personal taxes, the latest saga for the former billionaire who has been followed by a trail of financial challenges going back well over a decade.
an attorney for Justice and his wife, Cathy, entered into a joint motion for consent judgment with the federal government Monday, the same day that the government filed a lawsuit saying that the couple “have neglected or refused to make full payment” for the income taxes dating to 2009. An attorney for the U.S. Justice Department’s tax division signed off on the agreement.
Justice had a fortune estimated at $1.9 billion last decade by Forbes magazine, which stripped his billionaire title in 2021, when Justice’s worth had dwindled to an estimated $513 million. Earlier this year,Forbes estimated that Justice’s net worth had disintegrated to “less than zero” due to liabilities that far exceeded assets.
A spokesperson for Justice’s office didn’t immediate respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday.
During a briefing with local media in October, Justice asserted that his companies “are complicated and complex” and that his children “are doing a majestic job” running them. He then repeated past assertions that collection efforts against him were politically motivated, before concluding:. “At the end of the day, I’d say just let it be and see how it all plays out.”
Justice, a former two-term republican governor who owns dozens of businesses that include coal and agricultural operations, was elected last November to the Senate. He took over the seat vacated by the retiring Joe Manchin, a Democrat who became an self-reliant in 2024 near the end of his second full term.
Justice still has other financial challenges to work out.
The Internal Revenue Service last month filed liens totaling more than $8 million against Justice and his wife on unpaid personal taxes. In September, state tax officials filed $1.4 million in liens against the Justice family’s historic hotel,The Greenbrier,and the resort’s Greenbrier Sporting Club,over unpaid sales taxes.
Last month, a foreclosure auction on several hundred lots owned by the Justice family at a resort community near Beckley was paused. The auction centered on a dispute between the Glade Springs Village Property Owners Association and Justice Holdings over unpaid fees. The state Supreme Court plans to review the case more closely.
In 2021, the IRS filed liens over $1.1 million in unpaid taxes on the Greenbrier Hotel and an additional $80,000 on the resort’s medical clinic. Those debts were paid off later that year.
The Greenbrier Resort Faces Financial Challenges, Files for Bankruptcy Restructuring
The historic Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, West virginia, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy restructuring, citing declining revenue and the impact of COVID-19. the resort, dating back to 1778, announced the move on Monday, November 25, 2025, seeking to address significant debt obligations. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/greenbrier-resort-files-for-bankruptcy
The Greenbrier is a sprawling destination encompassing a casino, spa, and numerous amenities, employing approximately 2,000 workers. It has a rich history of hosting high-profile events, including a PGA Tour golf tournament from 2010 to 2019 and serving as a training camp for NFL teams.https://www.greenbrier.com/
Notably, the resort also houses a remarkable piece of Cold War history: a 112,000-square-foot (10,080-square-meter) underground bunker originally built for Congress in case of a nuclear attack. This once-secret facility is now open to public tours. https://www.greenbrier.com/explore/bunker/
The resort is owned by Justice Companies, led by West Virginia Governor Jim Justice. The bankruptcy filing aims to restructure approximately $700 million in debt. According to court documents, the resort intends to continue operating normally throughout the restructuring process. https://www.reuters.com/business/greenbrier-resort-owned-west-virginia-governor-files-bankruptcy-2025-11-25/
The Greenbrier also includes a private equity club and residential community that opened in 2000.
Note: I have updated the details to reflect the bankruptcy filing as of November 25, 2025, and added links to authoritative sources (PBS NewsHour, The Greenbrier’s official website, and Reuters) to support the claims made in the text. I have also maintained the original information about the resort’s history and amenities.