MEMPHIS, TN — Lisa Jeanine Findley, a Missouri woman, was sentenced to 57 months in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to mail fraud for attempting to defraud the Presley family in a fraudulent foreclosure scheme involving Graceland, the iconic mansion once owned by Elvis Presley.
What Happened
Findley, who was charged with a highly sophisticated and elaborate scheme, claimed that Elvis Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, had borrowed millions of dollars using Graceland as collateral. She then took the fraudulent step of publishing fake foreclosure notices in The Commercial Appeal in 2024, hoping to falsely signal that the Presley family was at risk of losing the property.
Elvis’ granddaughter, who is a direct heir to Graceland, swiftly sued, and a judge intervened, halting any sale of the mansion. Despite the severity of her actions, the government requested a sentence of 57 months in prison, well below the 10 years she could have faced.
The Sentence and Consequences
In addition to her 57-month prison sentence, Findley was sentenced to three years of supervised release. She will also be required to undergo mental health counseling and is prohibited from opening new lines of credit without prior approval from her probation officer.
The judge described the scheme as “wild” and “highly sophisticated,” underscoring the potential consequences of what could have been a tragic miscarriage of justice had the fraud been successful.
Background and Criminal History
Findley’s past criminal history includes convictions dating back to the mid-2000s, primarily in Oklahoma. While her prior offenses were non-violent, they were related to obtaining money under false pretenses, including credit card fraud and issuing bogus checks. Court records show that she has not faced any new convictions in the last decade.
Graceland’s Significance
Graceland, Elvis Presley’s home in Memphis, was opened as a museum and tourist attraction in 1982. It is the second most-visited house in the United States, after the White House, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. The preservation of the mansion and its history is of utmost importance to the Presley family and fans worldwide.
Closing Line
This story may be updated with more details as Findley begins her sentence and further legal developments unfold.
