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A MISSOURI woman has been arrested on federal charges in connection with an alleged scheme to steal Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley.
Lisa Jeanine Findley was charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft for her attempts to sell the Presley family’s Memphis, Tennessee estate.
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In May, Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough filed a lawsuit to halt the foreclosure sale of Graceland.
A company operating under the name of Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC was trying to sell the estate.
In September 2023, Naussany claimed that Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’s only child, and Keough’s mother, had borrowed $3.8 million from them, using Graceland as security for the loan.
Naussany claimed that Lisa Marie never paid back the loan, and after she died in January 2023, they had a right to foreclose on Graceland as collateral for the loan.
When Keough filed a complaint against Naussany in the state court of Tennessee, she alleged that the company used fraudulent documents, that the company itself was not a real entity, and that it was “created” solely to attempt to steal Graceland.
Keough also alleged that her mother never borrowed the $3.8 million Naussany referenced in its documents and that any papers they showed the court had been forged.
In a shocking twist, Findley was allegedly behind the real estate fraud attempt.
She allegedly posed as several individuals, including Lisa Holden, Lisa Howell, Gregory Naussany, Kurt Naussany, Lisa Jeanine Sullins, and Carolyn Williams, all of whom were “affiliated” with Naussany Investments.
She also falsely claimed that Lisa Marie Presley had taken out a $3.8 million loan and that she had used Graceland as collateral.
Findley’s scam went even further after she claimed Lisa Marie signed documents in the presence of a Florida notary, Kimberly Philbrick.
Philbrick immediately stated the documents were fake, that she had never met Lisa Marie, nor did she notarize any documents in her presence.
On May 22, 2024, the presiding judge in Keough’s case held a hearing that lasted less than 10 minutes.
Notably, no representatives from Naussany showed up to the hearing.
After confirming that Philbrick never notarized the documents, the judge questioned the authenticity of Lisa Marie’s signature, and the documents themselves.
“As a Memphian, I know that Graceland is a national treasure,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee, according to the US Department of Justice.
“This defendant allegedly used a brazen scheme to try to defraud the Presley family of their interest in this singularly important landmark,” he added.
“Of course, all homeowners deserve to have their property protected from fraud, and the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute anyone who commits financial crimes or identity theft.”
Findley’s scam went further than just a few forged documents, however.
What is Graceland? The Presley family’s prized estate
Elvis crafted some of his most famous hits at Graceland, including Blue Christmas and All Shook Up. Here’s everything you need to know.
Graceland is located at 3763 Elvis Presley Blvd in Memphis, Tennessee.
It was constructed in 1939 by Ruth Brown Moore and her husband Thomas D. Moore, who named the property Graceland after Ruth’s aunt Grace who originally owned the land.
Elvis purchased the property in 1957 and immediately moved in with his young family — wife Priscilla and daughter Lisa Marie Presley.
Elvis’ father, Vernon Presley, took over the trust managing Graceland along with the property itself after Elvis died in 1977, per directions in the star’s will.
The family decided to turn Graceland into a museum and tribute to the King of Rock & Roll, which opened in 1982.
Ownership of Graceland transferred to Lisa Marie when she turned 25 in 1993.
Graceland again changed ownership when Lisa Marie died suddenly in 2023.
Elvis’ granddaughter Riley Keough took procession of the estate after her mother’s death
She filed a false creditor’s claim with the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles, and a fake deed of trust with the Shelby County Register’s Office in Memphis.
Findley also published a fake foreclosure notice in one of Memphis’ daily newspapers, The Commercial Appeal, notifying the public that Naussany Investments would auction off Graceland to the highest bidder.
Once the scheme attracted media attention, and Findley was faced with public scrutiny, she quickly changed her tune.
Findley allegedly wrote to the Tennessee state court, the media, and Presley’s family, falsely claiming that the person responsible for the Naussany scam was an identity thief located in Nigeria.
“Fame and money are magnets for criminals who look to capitalize on another person’s celebrity status,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group.
Shen also said that Findley “took advantage” of the Presley family’s “very public and tragic occurrences” for her personal gain.
If Findley is convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for mail fraud.
Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Memphis Field Office said that while this case is especially unique given the Presley family’s fame and notoriety, identity theft and mail fraud “can affect people from all walks of life.”
“We will continue to vigorously pursue cases against individuals, in the United States and abroad, who would steal an identity and use fraud to benefit themselves personally,” he added.
Meanwhile, homeowners across the nation can take steps to prevent similar scams from happening to them.
Monitoring credit reports for signs of identity theft, scrutinizing any unusual bills received in the mail, and purchasing enhanced title insurance are all easy steps to take now that can pay off in the long run.
