Woman Tried To Steal Graceland From Elvis Presley’s Family: U.S. DOJ

MISSOURI — A Missouri woman faces federal charges after trying to steal millions of dollars and the ownership of Graceland from Elvis Presley’s family, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, of Kimberling City, Missouri, was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed Friday after her arrest. She was charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft.

She faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison and maximum of 20 years in prison,

She’s also known as Lisa Holden, Lisa Howell, Gregory Naussany, Kurt Naussany, Lisa Jeanine Sullins and Carolyn Williams, the DOJ said.

“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,” Nicole M. Argentieri, principal deputy assistant attorney general and head of the justice department’s criminal division, said.

Findley allegedly posed as three different individuals affiliated with a fictitious private lender named Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC (Naussany Investments). She claimed, falsely, that Presley’s daughter had borrowed $3.8 million in 2018 from her company, pledged Graceland as collateral for the loan and failed to repay the debt, the DOJ said.

To settle the fake claim, Findley sought $2.85 million from the performer’s family.

She created fake loan documents, forging the signatures of Presley’s daughter and a Florida state notary public.

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, the DOJ said.

Findley also published a fraudulent foreclosure notice in The Commercial Appeal, one of Memphis’ daily newspapers, announcing that Naussany Investments planned to auction Graceland to the highest bidder on May 23.

When Naussany Investments was sued by Presley’s family in Tennessee state court as part of an effort to stop the sale of Graceland, Findley submitted false court filings.

After the scheme attracted global media attention, Findley wrote to representatives of Presley’s family, the Tennessee state court and the media to claim falsely that the person responsible for the scheme was a Nigerian identity thief, the DOJ said.

“Fame and money are magnets for criminals who look to capitalize on another person’s celebrity status,” Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “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."