MEMPHIS, Tenn. (Celebrity Access) — A Missouri woman Federal charges It concerns an alleged scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family out of the ownership of his former Memphis estate, Graceland.
Lisa Janine Findley was charged by the Department of Justice with attempting to fraudulently sell Graceland, alleging that she used it as collateral for loans that Elvis Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, was unable to repay during her lifetime.
The Justice Department alleges that Findlay posed as three different people affiliated with a private lending company, Nowsany Investments & Private Lending LLC, which turned out to be fictitious.
Findlay allegedly claimed Presley borrowed $3.8 million from Nowsanee Investments in 2018 and then filed false creditor claims and deeds in a Los Angeles court, as well as false foreclosure notices to the city of Memphis and the Memphis daily newspaper, The Commercial Appeal.
The Justice Department alleges that Findlay then tried to shift the blame to Nigerian identity thieves after the scheme attracted national media attention.
Findlay is charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft for his role in the scheme and faces a minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft and a maximum of 20 years in prison for mail fraud, if convicted.
“As alleged in the complaint, the defendants schemed to fraudulently sell Graceland by falsely claiming that Elvis Presley’s daughter had pledged the historic property as collateral for a loan she was unable to repay during her lifetime,” said Principal Deputy Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, Criminal Division of the Department of Justice. “As part of this audacious scheme, we allege that the defendants created numerous forged documents in an attempt to extort settlement funds from the Presley family. The defendants are now facing federal charges, and the Criminal Division and its partners are committed to holding these fraudsters accountable.”
“As a Memphian, I know that Graceland is a national treasure,” said U.S. Attorney Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “The defendants allegedly hatched an audacious scheme to defraud the Presley family of their rights to this incredibly important landmark. Of course, all homeowners have a right to be protected from fraud in their property, and the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute those who commit financial crimes and identity theft.”
