A Missouri woman with a history of minor scams and fraud was arrested on federal charges linked to an alleged scheme attempting to extort millions from Elvis Presley’s family and improperly claim ownership of Graceland, the late music icon’s former home in Memphis. Prosecutors announced the arrest of 53-year-old Lisa Jeanine Findley, who is known by various aliases, including Lisa Holden.
Findley faced charges of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in a criminal complaint that was made public on Friday. She appeared before Magistrate Judge David Rush at the United States Courthouse in Springfield, Missouri, on Friday afternoon, where she was appointed a public defender. The hearing lasted approximately seven minutes.
During the proceedings, Findley waived her rights to both a preliminary and a detention hearing, allowing them to be conducted in the Western District of Tennessee, where the government requested her detention. She was subsequently ordered to be transported to Tennessee and remains in custody.
Prosecutors allege that Findley was the mastermind behind a fraudulent sale of Graceland. NBC News had previously reported on Findley’s connections to the plot, detailing her use of fake identities and various contact information linked to the scammers.
An eyewitness reported a chaotic arrest at Findley’s home in Kimberling City, where at least 15 law enforcement officers executed a warrant. An attorney listed in court documents representing Findley did not respond to requests for comment. In a prior June interview outside her home, Findley denied involvement in any scheme related to Graceland, though the online accounts associated with her were deleted soon after.
The Graceland fraud case gained attention in May when a non-existent company, Naussany Investments, filed a court claim alleging that Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ only child who passed away in January 2023, owed millions in unpaid loans. When Presley’s family did not respond, Naussany Investments sought to force a foreclosure sale of Graceland to recover the alleged debt. This case garnered media attention but was dismissed by a Tennessee judge who determined that the documents submitted were likely forged.
NBC News connected Findley to the Graceland scheme during a June investigation, uncovering links through a fake Facebook profile and other fraudulent online activities associated with the case. A former acquaintance of Findley testified to a grand jury, indicating that she had confided in him about a lucrative deal involving Lisa Marie Presley’s house.
According to court documents, Findley is accused of forging names, signatures, and notary seals to produce fake loan documents. Additionally, investigators found that Findley had contacted the Shelby County Register’s Office regarding the false Graceland deed and used burner email accounts associated with her phone to submit foreclosure notices to a local newspaper. Notably, bank records indicated that the account designated for payment by Naussany Investments belonged to Findley herself.