Missouri woman arrested in alleged attempt to steal Elvis’ Graceland property : NPR

A Missouri woman was arrested on Friday on suspicion of attempting to defraud Elvis Presley’s estate of millions of dollars and steal ownership of the iconic Graceland property in Memphis.

The case gained national attention earlier this year when Presley’s granddaughter, actress Danielle Riley Keough, sued the alleged fraudster, Lisa Jeanine Findley, to block a foreclosure sale on the compound.

American singer and film star Elvis Presley in 1975. He died on Aug. 16, 1977.

Keystone/Getty Images

hide caption

toggle caption

Keystone/Getty Images

“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.

“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 complaint says that Findley, 53, of Kimberling City, Missouri, posed as three different individuals to pass herself off as the nonexistent private lender company, Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC.

Claiming that Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, had defaulted on a $3.8 million loan, Findley allegedly sought $2.85 million from the family and forged documents, including a fake deed of trust.

When details of the scheme came to light, the complaint says, Findley allegedly wrote to Presley’s family and the court, claiming that the real fraudster was a Nigerian identity thief.

“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,” said Eric Chen, inspector in charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group.

Findley was scheduled to make an initial appearance on Friday at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.