Judge delays Graceland sale, suggests Elvis' granddaughter, Riley Keough, could win fraud claims
BREAKING: A Tennessee judge blocks a foreclosure sale of Graceland, ruling that it's in the public's best interest to slow any potential ownership change of Elvis Presley's "well loved" estate. https://t.co/t3SsnXdSjp
- NBC News (@NBCNews) May 22, 2024
Previous posts: one, two
A Memphis judge ruled in favor of Riley Keough this morning over the forced auction of Graceland by a supposed loan entity. He also determined that Thursday’s planned foreclosure auction would irreparably harm Elvis’ granddaughter, named in court as Danielle Riley Keough. Keough’s mother and brother are buried on the grounds.
According to Memphis reporter Jerrita Patterson, "[this case] could boil down to what the notary reportedly said [via affidavit] - that she did not sign off on the deed." The case will continue at a later date.
Jeff Germany was in court representing Riley Keough, and Keough was not present. No one from Naussany Investments, or their lawyers, showed up to the injunction hearing Wednesday morning in Memphis, and Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins denied their request for a delay to the hearing.
The Shelby County Chancery Court judge went as far as to say that actor Riley Keough, the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and granddaughter of the “King of Rock and Roll,” would likely prevail in her lawsuit, accusing a creditor of falsely claiming rights to Graceland, as long as there is evidence to back up her claims.
Jenkins also said there was evidence that the company trying to foreclose on Graceland had forged documents that it claimed gave it the right to sell the property.
A notice published this month states that Graceland and surrounding acreage on Elvis Presley Boulevard is set to be auctioned off for cash to the highest bidder on the Shelby County Courthouse steps May 23.
The legal notice states that Lisa Marie Presley allegedly signed a Deed of Trust in 2018 securing a $3.8 million loan with a Missouri company called Naussany Investments and Private Lending, using Graceland as collateral.
But Presley’s granddaughter Danielle Riley Keough says in a 60-page lawsuit against Naussany Investments, filed May 15 in Shelby County Chancery Court, that her mother never borrowed any money from the company and that Naussany Investments is not a real entity.
Although Naussany provided what appears to be a 2018 notarized promissory note signed by Lisa Marie Presley to put up Graceland as collateral, Keough’s lawsuit said that was a forgery. In a signed affidavit, the notary public denied ever notarizing anything that Lisa Marie Presley had signed.
Chancellor Jenkins said that affidavit was sufficient evidence to delay the foreclosure until a hearing can determine the facts. But Jenkins also said the evidence suggested Keough was telling the truth.
“It appears that you Mr. Germany, your client will be successful on the merits ... providing that you prove the fraud that has been alleged," Chancellor JoeDae L. Jenkins told the court and Keough's attorney Jeff Germany.
"Mr. Naussany will not (be) harmed ... by delaying the trial on this matter until we can have adequate discovery (and) allow them to file an answer and provide a defense to the claim that he’s made," Jenkins said.
Given the worldwide fame of Graceland, the judge said prudence calls for any foreclosure sale to be delayed.
“The public interest is best served, particularly here in Shelby County, for Graceland is a part of this community, well loved by this community and, indeed, around the world."
When CNN attempted to reach Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC by phone, the number was no longer in service. The business was listed in a court document from Keough’s attorney as being located in Kimberling City, Missouri, but CNN was unable to locate a business in the state of Missouri by that name via the secretary of state’s office. CNN was also unable to locate a business by that name when searching nationwide.
Source