The Fake Graceland Foreclosure: Anatomy of a Title and Mortgage Fraud Scheme

Fact can be stranger than fiction, especially when it comes to celebrity cases or high-profile cases. One of the most glaring examples unfolded when the historic Graceland estate, Elvis Presley’s iconic Memphis mansion, became the target of a fraudulent foreclosure scheme.

What began as an absurd headline evolved into a federal criminal prosecution, highlighting vulnerabilities in public records, title management, and the legal process required to protect real estate equity.

Updated on August 6, 2026.

By Alexander Hernandez, J.D., Professor, and Author of Consumer Bankruptcy Law (Routledge).

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Key Takeaways

• The Graceland Fraud Scheme: A federal investigation revealed that Lisa Jeanine Findley fabricated a $3.8 million loan using counterfeit documents and forged signatures in the name of the late Lisa Marie Presley.
• The Extortion Attempt: Findley created a fictitious lending entity called Naussany Investments and Private Lending, attempting to extort a $2.85 million settlement from the Presley family under threat of a fraudulent foreclosure auction.
• Immediate Legal Injunction: Civil litigation filed by Riley Keough successfully blocked the scheduled auction just one day before the sale, exposing the fraudulent nature of the lien.
• Federal Prosecution and Sentencing: Findley pleaded guilty to mail fraud and was sentenced by a federal judge to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

The Anatomy of the Graceland Fraud Scheme

In May 2024, public notices published in a Memphis newspaper announced an impending foreclosure auction for Graceland. The notices alleged that the Promenade Trust, which controls the Graceland museum, defaulted on a $3.8 million loan purportedly secured in 2018 by the late Lisa Marie Presley.

According to federal prosecutors, the entire narrative was a fabrication orchestrated by Lisa Jeanine Findley of Kimberling City, Missouri.

The execution of the scheme involved several fraudulent milestones, starting with Findley creating a fictitious entity named “Naussany Investments and Private Lending.” Prosecutors had alleged that Findley forged Lisa Marie Presley’s signature on counterfeit loan documents.

Posing under multiple aliases associated with the fake lender, Findley pressured the Presley family, demanding a $2.85 million settlement to halt the supposed foreclosure. When media outlets and investigators began questioning the legitimacy of the transaction, Findley attempted to deflect blame, distributing statements falsely claiming that an overseas identity-theft ring was responsible.

Stopping the Foreclosure of Graceland

Actress Riley Keough, Lisa Marie Presley’s daughter and the subsequent heir to the estate, filed a civil lawsuit in Tennessee state court seeking an injunction, exposing the flaws in the purported lien. The underlying loan documents failed to withstand basic legal scrutiny, lacking authentic notarizations or verifiable chains of custody.

On May 22, 2024, just one day before the scheduled auction, a Tennessee judge issued an injunction blocking the foreclosure sale.

Federal Prosecution and Final Sentencing

Once the auction of Graceland was blocked, federal law enforcement launched an investigation through the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Findley was arrested and indicted on federal charges. In February 2025, she pleaded guilty to mail fraud. On September 23, 2025, U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. sentenced Findley to four years and nine months (57 months) in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

During sentencing, the court noted the sophisticated nature of the fraud and the severe public injustice a completed sale would have caused.

Takeaways for Property Owners

While the Graceland case involved a uniquely famous landmark, the fraud included common title and deed scams. Fraudsters frequently exploit public recording systems by filing unauthorized liens or fraudulent quitclaim deeds. Recently, I posted a video on the latest foreclosure scams and how to protect yourself.

To mitigate these risks, when property owners receive notices of foreclosures or liens, they should contact their lender or the creditor directly. If documents are received from the county clerk’s office, don’t ignore them, thinking it was a mistake and doesn’t apply to you. Contact the clerk’s office immediately, and you should be able to access a lien search through the clerk’s online portal to confirm if any steps have been taken by scammers.

Scammers rely on confusion, fear, and intimidation. Staying proactive is your best defense.