A Missouri woman was arrested on Friday, August 16th on federal charges related to an alleged scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family of millions of dollars and steal their ownership interest in Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley in Memphis, Tennessee.
Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, of Kimberling City, Missouri, who is also known by several aliases including Lisa Holden, Lisa Howell, Gregory Naussany, Kurt Naussany, Lisa Jeanine Sullins, and Carolyn Williams, was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed today following her arrest. Findley is scheduled to make her initial appearance later today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
The complaint alleges that Findley orchestrated a fraudulent scheme involving a fictitious private lender named Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC (Naussany Investments). Findley is accused of falsely claiming that Elvis Presley’s daughter had borrowed $3.8 million from Naussany Investments in 2018 and pledged Graceland as collateral for the loan, which was purportedly unpaid. To resolve the alleged debt, Findley is said to have sought $2.85 million from Presley’s family.
Findley allegedly created numerous false documents, including forged loan agreements and a fake deed of trust. She is accused of forging the signatures of Presley’s daughter and a Florida State notary public, and filing these documents with the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles and the Shelby County Register’s Office in Memphis. Additionally, Findley purportedly published a fraudulent foreclosure notice in The Commercial Appeal, announcing that Graceland would be auctioned on May 23. When Presley’s family sued Naussany Investments in Tennessee state court to stop the sale, Findley allegedly submitted false court filings.
After the scheme garnered global media attention, Findley is alleged to have written to Presley’s representatives, the Tennessee state court, and the media, falsely claiming that the scheme was the work of a Nigerian identity thief.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri stated, “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.” Argentieri added, “The Criminal Division and its partners are committed to holding fraudsters to account.”
U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee commented, “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.”
Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group said, “Fame and money are magnets for criminals who look to capitalize on another person’s celebrity status. 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.”
Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Memphis Field Office added, “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.”
Findley faces charges of 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 of 20 years in prison for mail fraud.
The investigation is being conducted by the USPIS and the FBI Memphis Field Office, with significant assistance from the FBI Kansas City Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Chief Cory E. Jacobs and Trial Attorney Christopher Fenton of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III for the Western District of Tennessee and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.
