MEMPHIS, Tennessee – A judge said Wednesday that Elvis Presley’s estate could succeed in arguing that a company’s attempt to auction off Graceland is fraudulent, as he halted the foreclosure sale of the beloved Memphis tourist attraction.
Later on Wednesday, a statement from someone who appeared to be a representative of the company said it would withdraw its claim, which Presley’s estate argued was based on false documents. Online court records did not immediately show any legal filings suggesting the complaint had been dismissed.
Shelby County Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins issued an injunction against the proposed auction that was scheduled for Thursday in Memphis, where the rock ‘n’ roll king’s former home is located. Jenkins’ injunction essentially leaves in place a previous restraining order issued at the request of Presley’s granddaughter, Riley Keough.
“Graceland is part of this community, she is very much loved by this community and, in fact, the whole world,” the judge said.
A public notice for the foreclosure sale of the 13-acre property published in early May said the Promenade Trust, which controls the Graceland museum, owed $3.8 million after failing to repay a 2018 loan. Keough, a actress, inherited the trust and ownership of the house following the death of her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, last year.
Naussany Investments and Private Lending said Lisa Marie Presley used Graceland as collateral for the loan, according to the foreclosure sale notice. A lawsuit filed last week by Keough alleged that Naussany submitted fraudulent documents relating to the September 2023 loan.
“Lisa Maria Presley never borrowed money from Naussany Investments and never gave a deed of trust to Naussany Investments,” Keough’s attorney wrote in a court filing.
Neither Keough nor lawyers for Naussany Investments appeared in court Wednesday. Keough’s attorney, Jeff Germany, said outside court that he had no direct contact with Naussany’s representatives.
Naussany unsuccessfully filed a motion asking the judge to deny the estate’s request for a preliminary injunction.
A statement emailed to The Associated Press after Wednesday’s ruling said Naussany would not proceed because a key document in the case and the loan were recorded and obtained in a different state, meaning “legal action would have to be moved across multiple states.” The statement, sent from an email address listed in court documents, did not specify the other state.
“The company will withdraw all claims with prejudice,” the statement said.
Court documents included company addresses in Jacksonville, Florida, and Hollister, Missouri. Both were to post offices, and one reference in Kimberling City, Missouri, was to a PO box. The company is also not listed in state databases of businesses registered in Missouri or Florida.
Kimberly Philbrick, the notary whose name appears on Naussany’s documents, indicated that she never met Lisa Marie Presley nor notarized any documents for her, according to the estate’s filing. The judge said the notary’s statement included in the lawsuit questions “the authenticity of the signature.”
Paul Golden, an attorney for a New York-based firm that handles real estate and commercial litigation but is not directly involved in the case, said the affidavit and other inconsistencies in the firm’s documentation appeared to be “extremely strong evidence” to support the Presley case. equity position.
Graceland opened as a museum and tourist attraction in 1982 as a tribute to Elvis Presley, the singer and actor who died in August 1977 at age 42. It attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. A large Presley-themed entertainment complex across the street from the museum is owned by Elvis Presley Enterprises.
“Graceland will continue to operate as it has for the past 42 years, ensuring that Elvis fans around the world can continue to have the best experience when visiting his iconic home,” Elvis Presley Enterprises said in a statement.
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Associated Press reporter Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kan., contributed.
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