A Missouri woman has pleaded guilty in a brazen scheme to fraudulently auction off Elvis Presley's iconic Graceland mansion. Lisa Jeanine Findley admitted to mail fraud charges in a Memphis federal court, bringing an end to an elaborate plot that threatened one of America's most celebrated landmarks.

Photo Credit: Graceland Mansion by Joseph Novak / CC by 2.0

The scheme involved Findley creating a fictitious $3.8 million loan supposedly taken by Lisa Marie Presley, using Graceland as collateral. After Lisa Marie's death in January 2023, Findley attempted to force a $2.85 million settlement by threatening to auction the property. She impersonated three different individuals and fabricated numerous documents, including a fraudulent foreclosure notice.

The plot unraveled when Riley Keough, Elvis's granddaughter and current owner of Graceland, filed a lawsuit exposing the fraud. A key piece of evidence came from notary Kimberly Philbrick, who confirmed she had never met Lisa Marie Presley nor notarized any related documents. This prompted a judge to issue an injunction stopping the proposed auction.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, who initially investigated the case before referring it to federal authorities, called the scheme "nonsense." He emphasized Graceland's global significance, noting its importance to visitors worldwide who make pilgrimages to the Memphis landmark.

Thanks to a plea deal, Findley will face significantly less than the initial 20-year maximum sentence when she appears for sentencing on June 18. An additional charge of aggravated identity theft has been dropped as part of the agreement.

Graceland, which opened as a museum in 1982, remains safely in the possession of Elvis's heir and continues to operate as a major tourist attraction, complete with a Presley-themed entertainment complex across the street owned by Elvis Presley Enterprises.

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