A lady has admitted trying to defraud Elvis Presley’s household by making an attempt to public sale off his Graceland mansion and property earlier than a decide halted the mysterious foreclosures sale.
Lisa Jeanine Findley had initially denied expenses of mail fraud and aggravated identification theft in relation to the scheme however has now modified her plea within the two-count indictment.
Prosecutors had stated Findley, of Kimberling Metropolis, Missouri, falsely claimed Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie had borrowed $3.8m (£3m) from a bogus personal lender and had pledged Graceland as collateral for the mortgage earlier than her demise in January 2023.
Findley then threatened to promote Graceland to the best bidder if Presley’s household didn’t pay a $2.85m (£2.25m) settlement, in accordance with authorities.
A decide stopped the sale after Presley’s granddaughter and Lisa Marie’s daughter, actress Riley Keough, sued.
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Lisa Jeanine Findley. Pic: NBC Information
Graceland opened as a museum and vacationer attraction in 1982 and attracts lots of of 1000’s of tourists annually.
A big Presley-themed leisure complicated throughout the road from the museum is owned by Elvis Presley Enterprises.
Presley, generally known as the King of Rock and Roll, died in August 1977 on the age of 42
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Elvis Presley
Keough, who inherited the belief and possession of the house after the demise of her mom, filed a lawsuit claiming fraud in opposition to Findley and a decide halted the proposed public sale with an injunction.
Naussany Investments and Non-public Lending – the bogus lender authorities say Findley created – stated Lisa Marie Presley had used Graceland as collateral for the mortgage, in accordance with the foreclosures sale discover.
The decide stated Elvis Presley’s property may very well be profitable in arguing that an organization’s try to public sale Graceland was fraudulent.
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Lisa Marie Presley. Pic: Reuters
Ms Keough’s lawsuit alleged that Naussany introduced fraudulent paperwork concerning the mortgage in September 2023 and that Ms Presley by no means borrowed cash from Naussany.
After the scheme fell aside, Findley tried to make it seem like the particular person accountable was a Nigerian identification thief, prosecutors stated.
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Riley Keough. Pic: Reuters
In a press release, Tennessee Lawyer Normal Jonathan Skrmetti referred to as the scheme “nonsense” and praised the work of federal authorities.
“Graceland matters so much to so many people around the world – just go to Memphis during Elvis Week and listen to all the different accents and languages of fans who make the pilgrimage,” Mr Skrmetti stated.
“All of Tennessee is glad that Graceland remains safely in the possession of Elvis’s heir and that it will remain a celebrated Memphis landmark for generations to come.”
Findley shall be sentenced on 18 June and would have confronted as much as 20 years if convicted, however she is anticipated to obtain lower than that below the plea deal.
