A Missouri woman was arrested Friday morning in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s family out of millions of dollars and the ownership of Graceland, the Justice Department announced.
Lisa Findley is alleged to have orchestrated the scheme to conduct the sale of Graceland by falsely claiming that Presley’s daughter, prior to her death, had pledged the estate as collateral for a loan she hadn’t repaid, prosecutors said.
“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,” the head of DOJ’s criminal division, Nicole Argentieri, said in a statement announcing the arrest.
Tourists prepare to enter Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, May 22, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn.
Brad Vest/Getty Images
Findley, 53, of Kimberling City, Missouri, was charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, the DOJ said. She is scheduled to make her first appearance later Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. She does not yet have any attorney listed as representing her in online court records.
The criminal complaint, which was unsealed Friday, outlined the alleged scheme, which prosecutors said involved a fake private lender, forged documents and signatures and a fraudulent foreclosure notice for the Graceland estate in Memphis in an attempt to get millions from the Presley family.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.