Tennessee attorney general looking into attempt to sell Graceland in foreclosure auction

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Tennessee's lawyer wide said Thursday that his bureau is looking into a company's effort to merchantability Elvis Presley’s location Graceland astatine a foreclosure auction, a determination that was stopped by a justice aft the king of stone n’ roll’s granddaughter filed a suit claiming fraud.

Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said successful a quality merchandise that the beloved Memphis tourer attraction “became the target” of Nausanny Investments and Private Lending erstwhile it tried to merchantability the home-turned-museum based connected claims that Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, had failed to wage backmost a indebtedness wherever Graceland was utilized arsenic collateral.

Shelby County Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins issued an injunction Wednesday against the projected auction, which had been scheduled for Thursday. Jenkins’ injunction fundamentally kept successful spot a erstwhile restraining bid issued astatine the petition of Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough.

Tennessee’s appointed lawyer wide tin analyse and bring civilian lawsuits, including successful instances of alleged user fraud. But his authorization successful transgression tribunal is importantly much limited, usually reserved for representing the authorities during appeals. Local territory attorneys, who are elected, bring transgression cases.

After the judge's determination Wednesday, a connection from idiosyncratic who appeared to beryllium a typical of the institution said it would driblet its claim, which the Presley property has argued was based connected fake documents. Online tribunal records did not instantly amusement immoderate ineligible filings suggesting the assertion had been dropped.

A nationalist announcement for a foreclosure merchantability of the 13-acre (5-hectare) property posted earlier successful May said Promenade Trust, which controls the Graceland museum, owes $3.8 cardinal aft failing to repay a 2018 loan. Keough, an actor, inherited the spot and ownership of the location aft the decease of her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, past year.

Naussany Investments and Private Lending said Lisa Marie Presley had utilized Graceland arsenic collateral for the loan, according to the foreclosure merchantability notice. A suit filed past week by Keough alleged that Naussany presented fraudulent documents regarding the indebtedness successful September 2023.

“Lisa Maria Presley ne'er borrowed wealth from Naussany Investments and ne'er gave a deed of spot to Naussany Investments,” Keough’s lawyer wrote successful a lawsuit.

Naussany did record an unsuccessful question denying the lawsuit's allegations and opposing the estate's petition for an injunction.

A connection emailed to The Associated Press aft Wednesday's ruling said Naussany would not proceed due to the fact that a cardinal papers successful the lawsuit and the indebtedness were recorded and obtained successful a antithetic state, meaning that “legal enactment would person to beryllium filed successful aggregate states.” The statement, which was sent from an email code listed successful tribunal documents, did not specify the different state.

“The institution volition beryllium withdrawing each claims with prejudice,” the connection said.

The tribunal documents included addresses for the institution successful Jacksonville, Florida, and Hollister, Missouri. Both were for station offices, and a Kimberling City, Missouri, notation was for a station bureau box. The concern besides is not listed successful authorities databases of registered corporations successful Missouri oregon Florida.

Kimberly Philbrick, the notary whose sanction is listed connected Naussany's documents, indicated that she ne'er met Lisa Marie Presley nor notarized immoderate documents for her, according to the estate's lawsuit. The justice said the notary's affidavit included successful the suit brings into question "the authenticity of the signature.”

Graceland opened arsenic a depository and tourer attraction successful 1982 arsenic a tribute to Elvis Presley, the vocalist and histrion who died successful August 1977 astatine property 42. It draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. A ample Presley-themed amusement analyzable crossed the thoroughfare from the depository is owned by Elvis Presley Enterprises.

"Graceland volition proceed to run arsenic it has for the past 42 years, ensuring that Elvis fans from astir the satellite tin proceed to person the champion successful people acquisition erstwhile visiting his iconic home,” Elvis Presley Enterprises said successful a statement.

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Associated Press newsman Jonathan Mattise successful Nashville, Tennessee, contributed.