Missouri woman arrested in Elvis Graceland foreclosure scheme

Aug. 16 (UPI) -- A Missouri woman was arrested Friday morning and now faces federal charges related to an accused scheme to defraud the estate of Elvis Presley and foreclose on his iconic mansion.

Lisa Jeanine Findley is accused of creating false documents alleging Presley's daughter Lisa Marie Presley took out a $3.8 million loan against her father's Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tenn., the Justice Department said in a statement Friday.

Findley, who lives in in Kimberling City, Mo., went by more than a half-dozen different aliases according to court documents, and is charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Authorities contend the 53-year-old created false documents, including a fake signature and notary stamp, to fabricate evidence purporting that Lisa Marie Presley had taken out the multimillion-dollar loan against Graceland. Elvis' only child died in 2023 at the age of 54. Using a fake name and non-existent company, Finley then attempted to foreclose on Graceland, which has become a popular tourist attraction since Elvis died there in 1977.

"As alleged in the complaint, the defendant orchestrated a scheme to conduct a fraudulent sale of Graceland, falsely claiming that Elvis Presley's daughter had pledged the historic landmark as collateral for a loan that she failed to repay before her death," Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri said in the Justice Department's statement.

"As part of the brazen scheme, we allege that the defendant created numerous false documents and sought to extort a settlement from the Presley family. Now she is facing federal charges. The Criminal Division and its partners are committed to holding fraudsters to account."

A judge later blocked the foreclosure , which was contested by Presley's daughter, actress Riley Keough. Keough is the primary trustee of the Presley family's Promenade Trust.

Shelby County Chancery Court Judge JoeDae Jenkins found several glaring irregularities with the documents submitted by Naussany Investments, which claimed it issued the Graceland loan in 2018. The firm had only a P.O. box listed as an address and did not send a representative to court.

Gregory Naussany and Kurt Naussany are two of the aliases Findley allegedly used, according to the Justice Department.

The judge eventually ruled Lisa Marie Presley's signature on the document was forged, as was the stamp of the notary public.

The case grabbed international headlines a week later when a person purporting to be from Nigeria claimed responsibility for the failed plot.

At the time, the person told multiple news outlets they were part of a large-scale fraud ring operating in Nigeria with "worms" in the United States.

"Fame and money are magnets for criminals who look to capitalize on another person's celebrity status," U.S. Postal Inspection Service Inspector in Charge Eric Shen said in the Justice Department's statement.

"In this case, Ms. Findley allegedly took advantage of the very public and tragic occurrences in the Presley family as an opportunity to prey on the name and financial status of the heirs to the Graceland estate, attempting to steal what rightfully belongs to the Presley family for her personal gain. Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners put an end to her alleged scheme, protecting the Presley family from continued harm and stress. This is an example of our relentless investigative work and commitment to bringing criminals to justice for their illegal activity."

Findley is expected to make her first appearance in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri Friday afternoon.

She faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for the aggravated identity theft charge if convicted, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for mail fraud.

"As a Memphian, I know that Graceland is a national treasure," U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee Kevin Ritz said in the statement.

"This defendant allegedly used a brazen scheme to try to defraud the Presley family of their interest in this singularly important landmark. 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."

Elvis and Lisa Marie are buried at Graceland, which attracts about 600,000 visitors annually.