A Missouri woman has been arrested for allegedly devising a scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family of Graceland, his former residence.
Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, stands accused of utilizing multiple aliases and fabricating fraudulent documents asserting that the late Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis, had offered Graceland as collateral for a loan which she ultimately defaulted on.
Nicole M. Argentieri, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, stated that the defendant is facing federal charges for her involvement in a brazen scheme. The scheme involved creating multiple false documents and attempting to extort a settlement from the Presley family. Argentieri emphasized the commitment of the Criminal Division and its partners to holding fraudsters accountable.
In May, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti made a promise to conduct an investigation after Presley’s granddaughter, Riley Keough, requested and obtained a stay that prevented the foreclosure of the property in federal court.
According to reports, Findley allegedly made a claim for $3.8 million in 2018, stating that the money came from a company called Naussany Investments. Additionally, it is alleged that Findley also sought $2.85 million from the family of Elvis Presley.
Findley is accused of forging the signatures of Elvis Presley’s daughter and a Florida State notary public. Subsequently, he filed a false creditor’s claim with the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles and submitted a fake deed of trust to the Shelby County Register’s Office in Memphis.
According to reports, there are claims that she went as far as having a foreclosure notice published in the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The notice stated that Graceland would be going up for auction on May 23.
After the case garnered public attention, Findley proceeded to write letters to representatives of Elvis Presley’s family, the Tennessee state court, and the media. In these letters, he falsely claimed that the individual behind the fraudulent scheme was a Nigerian identity thief.
Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group stated that Ms. Findley allegedly exploited the public and tragic events in the Presley family as a means to take advantage of the name and wealth of the heirs to the Graceland estate. Her alleged intention was to unlawfully obtain what rightfully belongs to the Presley family for her own personal gain. He further emphasized that the diligent efforts of Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement counterparts effectively thwarted her scheme, thereby safeguarding the Presley family from further distress and harm.