Missouri woman arrested for attempting to defraud Elvis Presley family's by trying to sell Graceland
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE: Lisa Jeanine Findley, a 53-year-old Missouri woman, was arrested on Friday, August 16, for allegedly attempting to defraud Elvis Presley's family out of millions of dollars by trying to sell off Graceland.
Findley has been charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme.
Lisa Jeanine Findley charged with fraudulent Graceland sale scheme faces upto 20 years in prison
According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Lisa Jeanine Findley orchestrated a plan that led to Graceland being put up for foreclosure in May.
If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft and up to 20 years for mail fraud, according to a report by Fox News.
Authorities allege that Findley carried out a fraudulent scheme by falsely claiming that Lisa Marie Presley had put Graceland up as collateral for a loan that was not repaid before her death.
Lisa Jeanine Findley sought to extort settlement from the Presley family
The scheme involved the creation of numerous false documents, and Lisa Jeanine Findley attempted to extort a settlement from the Presley family.
"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," said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
To carry out her alleged plot, Findley pretended to be three different people connected to a fake private lending company, Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC.
The company as previously reported claimed that Lisa Marie Presley failed to pay back a $3.8 million loan and used Graceland as collateral. However, Elvis' granddaughter, Riley Keough, filed documents claiming that the company's alleged loan documents were fraudulent.
Elvis Persely estate official suggests arrest a tip on an ice berg
The Elvis estate believes that Lisa Jeanine Findley may not be the mastermind behind the plot.
"We think this is the first domino to fall, not the last. We do not believe this is the mastermind behind the scam," the estate official told TMZ.
He adding that "statements attributed to the woman arrested have pointed to someone who has a loose affiliation with the Elvis world."
Findley allegedly forged documents, including one with Lisa Marie's signature and another from a Florida State notary employee. She attempted to settle the claim with the Presley family for $2.85 million, but the family refused, leading to Graceland being put up for foreclosure.
Lisa Jeanine Findley took advantage of very public and tragic occurrences in the Presley family
Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the US Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group commented on the case, saying, "Fame and money are magnets for criminals who look to capitalize on another person’s celebrity status."
Shen further added that 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."
He also highlighted the efforts of Postal Inspectors and law enforcement in bringing Findley's alleged scheme to an end, stating, "This is an example of our relentless investigative work and commitment to bringing criminals to justice for their illegal activity."
