A Missouri woman has admitted to her role in a complex fraud scheme targeting Elvis Presley's family. The scheme attempted to illegitimately claim millions of dollars and take ownership of the late singer's iconic residence, Graceland. Lisa Jeanine Findley, age 53, of Kimberling City, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud, per the U.S. Department of Justice.
Findley's fraudulent endeavor involved the setup of a bogus company, complete with forged documents and counterfeit court filings. She falsely asserted that Elvis Presley’s daughter had defaulted on a loan with Graceland as the collateral before her demise. According to court documents, Findley threatened to foreclose on Graceland and auction it off unless the Presley family paid off the alleged debt against the estate.
Her scheme eventually collapsed, leading to the guilty plea that now puts Findley at risk of up to 20 years in federal prison. The sentencing hearing for Findley is scheduled for June 18, where a federal district court judge will determine the penalty after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being handled by a team that includes Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Acting U.S. Attorney Reagan Taylor Fondren for the Western District of Tennessee, among others. The investigation was carried out by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and FBI Nashville Field Office, pointing to concerted efforts of law enforcement in unraveling this intricate fraud. Trial Attorney Aaron Henricks of the Crime Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carroll L. André III for the Western District of Tennessee are in charge of the prosecution, with additional significant support provided by other members of the Fraud Section.
