Graceland fraud: Missouri woman faces 20 years in prison for targeting Elvis Presley’s family

Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Elvis' former home turned museum. Photo / Supplied

A woman pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud for trying to orchestrate a scheme that included a threat to auction off Graceland, the former home of the “king of rock-and-roll,” Elvis Presley, the US Department of Justice said Tuesday.

Lisa Jeanine Findley of Missouri, along with accomplices, attempted to defraud Presley’s family out of millions of dollars or their ownership interest of the Memphis mansion, which is a National Historic Landmark and a major tourist attraction in Tennessee, the department said.

Rolling Stone estimated in 2020 that Graceland was worth US$400 million ($702m) to US$500 million ($877m).

She put the scheme into action after the death of Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley’s daughter, in January 2023.

The pool room in Elvis Presley's house in Graceland. Photo / 123RF

Findley faked a money lending company and posed as multiple employees, prosecutors said. She also forged Lisa Marie’s signature on a document that purported to put Graceland up as collateral on a loan.

Findley approached actress Riley Keough - Lisa Marie’s daughter and the sole trustee of Graceland - with a fake document that claimed that her late mother had not paid back US$3.8m ($6.6m) she had borrowed.

Findley demanded US$2.85m ($5m) in exchange for allowing the family to keep the ownership of Graceland. She threatened to foreclose on the property and auction it to the highest bidder if the family did not comply.

In fact, Lisa Marie had never taken out a loan from Findley or her fake company with Graceland as collateral.

Findley filed fraudulent court claims from September 2023, seeking repayment for the fake debt, which the family refused. She then took steps indicating plans to auction off Graceland.

Keough went to court in May 2024 to block the sale, and Findley was arrested in August. A second charge against her, aggravated identity theft, was dropped through the plea deal. She will be sentenced on June 18 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.

Elvis Presley (left) and grandchild Riley Keough (right). Photo / Getty Images, Amazon Prime

Representatives for Findley and Keough did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

Elvis Presley bought Graceland, an estate of almost 14 acres, in 1957 as a home for himself and his family. After his 1977 death, it passed to his father, grandmother and daughter, and is now controlled by his granddaughter.