Office of Public Affairs | Woman Charged for Scheme to Defraud Elvis Presley’s Family

A Missouri girl was arrested this morning on federal expenses in reference to an alleged scheme to defraud Elvis Presley’s household of tens of millions of {dollars} and steal the household’s possession curiosity in Graceland, the previous house of Elvis Presley, positioned in Memphis, Tennessee.

Lisa Jeanine Findley, also referred to as Lisa Holden, Lisa Howell, Gregory Naussany, Kurt Naussany, Lisa Jeanine Sullins, and Carolyn Williams, 53, of Kimberling Metropolis, Missouri, was charged in a prison grievance unsealed at the moment after her arrest. Findley will make her preliminary look later at the moment within the U.S. District Court docket for the Western District of Missouri.

“As alleged within the grievance, 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 mortgage that she did not repay earlier than her loss of life,” stated Principal Deputy Assistant Legal professional Common Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Division’s Prison Division. “As a part of the brazen scheme, we allege that the defendant created quite a few false paperwork and sought to extort a settlement from the Presley household. Now she is going through federal expenses. The Prison Division and its companions are dedicated to holding fraudsters to account.”

“As a Memphian, I do know that Graceland is a nationwide treasure,” stated U.S. Legal professional Kevin G. Ritz for the Western District of Tennessee. “This defendant allegedly used a brazen scheme to attempt to defraud the Presley household of their curiosity on this singularly necessary landmark. After all, all householders need to have their property protected against fraud, and the Division of Justice will vigorously prosecute anybody who commits monetary crimes or identification theft.”

In line with courtroom paperwork, Findley allegedly posed as three totally different people affiliated with a fictitious non-public lender named Naussany Investments & Non-public Lending LLC (Naussany Investments). Findley allegedly claimed falsely that Elvis Presley’s daughter had borrowed $3.8 million in 2018 from Naussany Investments, pledged Graceland as collateral for the mortgage, and did not repay the debt. To settle the purported declare, Findley allegedly sought $2.85 million from Elvis Presley’s household. Findley allegedly fabricated mortgage paperwork on which Findley cast the signatures of Elvis Presley’s daughter and a Florida State notary public. Findley then allegedly filed a false creditor’s declare with the Superior Court docket of California in Los Angeles, and a pretend deed of belief with the Shelby County Register’s Workplace in Memphis. Findley additionally allegedly printed a fraudulent foreclosures discover in The Industrial Attraction, one in every of Memphis’s every day newspapers, asserting that Naussany Investments deliberate to public sale Graceland to the very best bidder on Could 23. Lastly, when Naussany Investments was sued by Elvis Presley’s household in Tennessee state courtroom as a part of an effort to cease the sale of Graceland, Findley allegedly submitted false courtroom filings.

After the scheme attracted world media consideration, Findley allegedly wrote to representatives of Elvis Presley’s household, the Tennessee state courtroom, and the media to assert falsely that the particular person liable for the scheme was a Nigerian identification thief positioned in Nigeria.

“Fame and cash are magnets for criminals who look to capitalize on one other particular person’s celeb standing,” stated Inspector in Cost Eric Shen of U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Prison Investigations Group. “On this case, Ms. Findley allegedly took benefit of the very public and tragic occurrences within the Presley household as a chance to prey on the identify and monetary standing of the heirs to the Graceland property, making an attempt to steal what rightfully belongs to the Presley household for her private achieve. Postal Inspectors and their regulation enforcement companions put an finish to her alleged scheme, defending the Presley household from continued hurt and stress. That is an instance of our relentless investigative work and dedication to bringing criminals to justice for his or her criminality.”

“At this time’s announcement of expenses and regulation enforcement motion reveals our broad method to investigating allegations of identification theft and mail fraud, which might have an effect on individuals from all walks of life,” stated Particular Agent in Cost Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Memphis Discipline Workplace. “We’ll proceed to vigorously pursue instances in opposition to people, in the US and overseas, who would steal an identification and use fraud to learn themselves personally.”

Findley is charged with mail fraud and aggravated identification theft. If convicted, she faces a compulsory minimal of two years in jail for aggravated identification theft and a most penalty of 20 years in jail for mail fraud.

USPIS and the FBI Memphis Discipline Workplace are investigating the case with important help from the FBI Kansas Metropolis Discipline Workplace.  

Assistant Chief Cory E. Jacobs and Trial Legal professional Christopher Fenton of the Prison Division’s Fraud Part and Assistant U.S. Legal professional Carroll L. André III for the Western District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case, with important help from the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace for the Western District of Missouri.

A prison grievance is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed harmless till confirmed responsible past an inexpensive doubt in a courtroom of regulation.