Over the years, Graceland, Elvis Presley’s popular mansion located in Memphis, Tennessee, has been the subject of great interest, either for its historical and cultural value or for its incalculable financial value. This Friday, August 16, a 53-year-old woman was arrested and accused of trying to take over the legendary singer’s luxurious property through illicit means.
According to federal prosecutors, Missouri resident Lisa Jeanine Findley devised a Machiavellian scheme to fraudulently sell the “King of Rock and Roll” home.
Photo: Official Instagram.
Findley falsely claimed that the late Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ only daughter, had pledged Graceland as collateral for a loan that she failed to repay before her death. “We allege that the defendant created numerous false documents and attempted to extort the Presley family into a settlement,” said Nicole Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Elvis Presley’s Graceland mansion. Photo: AP Photo/Beth J. Harpaz, File.
In his version, Findley claimed that Lisa had borrowed $3.8 million in 2018 from a company called Naussany Investments, and to support his scheme, he forged the signatures of Lisa Marie and a notary from the state of Florida. However, it was Riley Keough, Elvis’ granddaughter, who detected the irregularities and filed a lawsuit to stop the auction of the mansion that was to take place in May.
As a result, Lisa Jeanine Findley now faces charges of mail fraud and identity theft, which could lead to a sentence of more than 20 years in prison. In the wake of this attempted robbery, we take you inside Graceland, to discover what makes this mansion so iconic and why it has been a magnet for events like this.
Elvis was just 22 years old when he purchased the mansion for $100,000. Over time, the property was expanded to a total of 28 rooms, of which 8 were bedrooms, thus ensuring his privacy.
The “Burning Love” singer died on August 16, 1977, and was also buried at Graceland. His body rests next to that of his daughter Lisa and his grandson Benjamin, who tragically passed away in 2020.
Photo: Official Instagram.
The mansion stands on the site of a wealthy Memphis family’s estate in 1939. The house was later inherited by SE Toof. With its elegant Colonial Revival style, it was named Graceland in honour of Grace, the daughter of the first owner.
Today, the house has been redecorated by Priscilla Presley to reflect the style it had when she lived with the King. Carpets, mirrors, red colours and chandeliers are some of the visible elements, while the kitchen with Tiffany’s items and the TV room still retain the atmosphere of Elvis’ time.
One of the most striking rooms is the “Jungle Room,” which features a built-in waterfall and is adorned with hundreds of plants. This room became Elvis’ recording studio and was the place where he recorded much of “Moody Blue,” his final album.
One of the areas off-limits to visitors is Presley’s bedroom and office, as well as the room of Lisa, who used to visit the house occasionally.
Graceland offers a variety of attractions, including a hall of fame that, during the 1970s, was expanded to become a racquetball court, where Elvis displayed all of his gold records.
Today, you can see Elvis’ three Grammys, his Cadillacs, and the last car he drove, the famous black Stutz Blackhawk.
*With information from La Nación and BBC
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