Woman Risks 20-Year Sentence Following Guilty Plea in Scheme to Defraud Elvis Presley’s Family

February 26, 2025 TruthUSA

A defendant from Missouri acknowledged being involved in a scheme that included forged documents and fictitious claims regarding Graceland, the renowned Memphis residence of the late legend.

A woman from Missouri pleaded guilty on February 25 to charges of mail fraud after federal officials accused her of devising a scheme to swindle millions from Elvis Presley’s family and usurp their ownership stake in Graceland.

Records from the court indicate that the accused, Lisa Jeanine Findley, age 53, entered her guilty plea at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee on Monday. She now faces the possibility of a 20-year prison sentence, with her sentencing set for June 18.

Federal prosecutors have characterized her alleged actions as a meticulously orchestrated plan to forge documents, submit false court filings, and establish a fake business to assert that Graceland had been used as collateral for an unpaid loan.

Investigators reported that Findley threatened Presley’s heirs with foreclosure on the property and an auction to the highest bidder if they did not comply with her demands.

Elvis Presley acquired the property in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1957, living there until his death in 1977. Due to its historical significance, Graceland is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and ranks among the most visited private residences in the U.S., serving as a major tourist attraction for Tennessee.

Last year, Findley faced charges of various offenses, such as aggravated identity theft and mail fraud. According to these earlier filings, prosecutors claimed that she manipulated official documents, creating fraudulent promissory notes, bogus deeds of trust, and other counterfeit records.

“Fame and wealth attract criminals eager to exploit another person’s celebrity,” stated Eric Shen from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group.

“In this instance, Ms. Findley allegedly exploited very public and tragic events surrounding the Presley family to prey on the financial status and name of the heirs to the Graceland estate, attempting to seize what rightfully belongs to them for her own profit.”

She also purportedly placed announcements about a fictitious foreclosure sale in local newspapers to enhance the legitimacy of her claim.

Federal investigators from both the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FBI’s Nashville field office led the investigation, examining documents and online accounts that Findley allegedly used to perpetrate the fraud.

The Department of Justice issued a statement asserting that “Findley threatened to foreclose on Graceland and auction it to the highest bidder,” a tactic aimed at coercing Presley’s daughter’s estate into settling for a nonexistent debt.

Following the death of Lisa Marie Presley, the singer’s daughter, Findley claimed that the supposed debt was in default.

Officials noted that the Presley family, represented by Lisa Marie Presley’s daughter, Riley Keough, disputed Findley’s foreclosure claims in state court.

At that time, prosecutors claimed that Findley intended to unlawfully acquire a historical property and exploit one of America’s most celebrated cultural figures.

Investigation reports suggested that Findley reacted by submitting more false declarations and seeking to deflect responsibility onto an alleged Nigerian accomplice. Despite her earlier claims of innocence, she has now officially pleaded guilty to a single count of mail fraud.

A lawyer associated with Findley in federal court records did not respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times prior to publication, nor did Elvis Presley Enterprises, which manages the Elvis Presley Trust and Graceland.

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