Ballsy scam threatens home of American icon

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The Graceland scam, unfolding right now, involves an audacious attempt to defraud Elvis Presley’s family by orchestrating a fraudulent foreclosure sale of Graceland, Elvis Presley’s iconic home in Memphis, Tennessee.

A Missouri woman with a long history of small-time scams and fraud was arrested Friday morning on federal charges in connection with a scheme to extort Elvis Presley’s family out of millions and steal their ownership interest in the music legend’s former Memphis home, Graceland, prosecutors announced.

Lisa Jeanine Findley, who is also known by Lisa Holden and a slew of other aliases, 53, was charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in a criminal complaint unsealed Friday in this post the Office of Public Affairs:

A Missouri woman was arrested this morning on federal charges in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family of millions of dollars and steal the family’s ownership interest in Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley, located in Memphis, Tennessee.

Lisa Jeanine Findley, also known as Lisa Holden, Lisa Howell, Gregory Naussany, Kurt Naussany, Lisa Jeanine Sullins, and Carolyn Williams, 53, of Kimberling City, Missouri, was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed today after her arrest. Findley will make her initial appearance later today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

“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,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “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.”

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

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

To settle the purported claim, Findley allegedly sought $2.85 million from Elvis Presley’s family. Findley allegedly fabricated loan documents on which Findley forged the signatures of Elvis Presley’s daughter and a Florida State notary public. Findley then allegedly 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 allegedly published a fraudulent foreclosure notice in The Commercial Appeal, one of Memphis’s daily newspapers, announcing that Naussany Investments planned to auction Graceland to the highest bidder on May 23. Finally, when Naussany Investments was sued by Elvis Presley’s family in Tennessee state court as part of an effort to stop the sale of Graceland, Findley allegedly submitted false court filings.

After the scheme attracted global media attention, Findley allegedly wrote to representatives of Elvis 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 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 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. 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.”

“Today’s announcement of charges and law enforcement action shows our broad approach to investigating allegations of identity theft and mail fraud, which can affect people from all walks of life,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Memphis Field Office. “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.”

Findley is charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. If 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.

USPIS and the FBI Memphis Field Office are investigating the case with significant assistance from the FBI Kansas City Field Office.  

Assistant Chief Cory E. Jacobs and Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case, with significant assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Summary

Here’s a detailed overview based on the information available up to August 19, 2024:

  • The Scheme: A woman named Lisa Jeanine Findley from Missouri was charged with orchestrating the scam. She allegedly posed as multiple individuals from a fake company named Naussany Investments, claiming that Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’s daughter who passed away in 2023, had borrowed $3.8 million using Graceland as collateral, which she failed to repay before her death. This led to a public notice for a foreclosure sale of Graceland in May 2024.
  • Legal Actions: Elvis Presley’s granddaughter, Riley Keough, who inherited Graceland, took legal action to halt the sale, arguing that Naussany had no legitimate claim over the property. The Tennessee court intervened, stopping the foreclosure sale, recognizing the potential fraud.
  • Investigation and Arrest: The investigation led to Findley, who was arrested in August 2024. She was charged with attempting to defraud the Presley family out of millions by selling Graceland. Interestingly, after the scheme was exposed, Findley tried to deflect blame by suggesting that Nigerian scammers were responsible, a claim that was part of her broader attempt to mislead investigators and the public.
  • Public and Legal Reaction: The scam was described as one of the most brazen fraud attempts due to the high profile of Graceland, which is not only a private residence but also a significant cultural landmark and tourist attraction. The case drew significant attention, with discussions on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) highlighting the audacity of the scam and the legal proceedings against Findley.
  • Implications: This incident brought to light the vulnerabilities in property ownership and the potential for fraud, even with properties as famous as Graceland. It also served as a reminder of the importance of due diligence in real estate transactions and the need for robust legal protections against fraudulent claims.

The Graceland scam, therefore, not only represents a significant legal battle over one of America’s most cherished cultural assets but also underscores the ongoing challenges of identity theft and property fraud in the digital age.