Woman charged over alleged Elvis Presley loan fraud scheme  

A bizarre case that could have resulted in a foreclosure sale for one of America’s most iconic properties has taken another turn.

A Missouri woman has been arrested and charged with involvement in an alleged scheme to defraud the family of Elvis Presley and steal their ownership stake in Graceland, the late singer’s former home. The arrest took place on August 16, ironically the date that Presley died in 1977.

The latest development follows a turbulent time for the Presley family finances following the death of Lisa Marie Presley in 2023 which raised some tax issues for her heirs, and then a lawsuit filed on behalf of actress Riley Keough, Elvis Presley’s daughter, to stop foreclosure on Graceland based on what it said at the time resulted from a claim against a fake loan agreement.  

The charges against 53-year-old Lisa Jeanine Findley, also known as Lisa Holden, Lisa Howell, Gregory Naussany, Kurt Naussany, Lisa Jeanine Sullins, and Carolyn Williams, were revealed in criminal complaint unsealed last Friday.

“As alleged in the complaint, 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 loan that she failed to repay before her death,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “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.”

Findley is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The allegations resulting from an FBI investigation are that Findley claimed that Lisa Marie Presley had taken out a $3.8 million loan though a fictitious private lender named Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC, with Graceland as collateral. Findley is alleged to have tried to get $2.85 million from the Presley family on the basis that the loan had not been repaid before Lisa Marie’s death. When this was not paid, it is alleged that a foreclosure procedure on Graceland began.

When Naussany Investments was sued by Elvis Presley’s family in Tennessee state court as part of an effort to stop the sale of Graceland, Findley allegedly submitted false court filings.

Findley is charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft which could result in more than two decades in jail if she is convicted of all charges.

FINANCIAL PLANNING

Graceland was passed to three beneficiaries when he died in 1977 including Lisa Marie. His grandmother and father both died within three years of Elvis’ death and Lisa Marie’s inheritance was held in trust until her 25^th birthday in 1993, when she opted to form a new trust to manage the estate, The Elvis Presley Trust, with Priscilla Presley and the National Bank of Commerce continuing to serve as co-trustees.

However, Pricilla stepped back as Lisa Marie became more involved in the trust’s management, which included the $100 million sale of 85% of the trust’s business entity Elvis Presley Enterprises. Even with the significant wealth she had unlocked, it was revealed that Lisa Marie had multi-million-dollar debts when she died.

On the official Graceland website, there is mention of Elvis’ own financial planning, or lack of it: “Elvis Presley could have left one of the great fortunes of entertainment history, had he been one to worry about financial planning, rather than freely enjoying and sharing his wealth as he did.”