Alleged scammer takes credit for Graceland foreclosure upheaval

A self-proclaimed identity thief based in Nigeria has claimed responsibility for the confusing and now court-blocked auction of Elvis Presley's historic Graceland mansion.

The thief sent an email to The New York Times claiming to be part of a criminal network targeting the dead and elderly, particularly those in Florida and California, the outlet reported Tuesday.

The statement, which was sent in response to questions about the case, came from an email address listed in court documents related to Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC. Riley Keough, Presley's granddaughter and owner of Graceland, sued the company earlier this month to stop the foreclosure sale of the Memphis property.

“We are figuring out how to steal,” the thief wrote to the New York Times on Friday. “This is what we do.”

Naussany Investments submitted a deed of trust to the estate in September through Los Angeles County Superior Court, claiming that the late Lisa Marie Presley, Keough's mother, borrowed $3.8 million from the company and gifted Graceland warranty. Keough fiercely disputed these claims, calling the documents “fraudulent” and “false” in his lawsuit.

Learn more: Riley Keough says 'clarity was achieved' after mother's death and 'upheaval' over Elvis estate

The alleged thief accepted his defeat.

“I had fun figuring this one out and it didn’t turn out very well,” the statement continued.

Referencing Keough's legal victories in the case, the message, as reportedly written, continued: “Your client has nothing to fear, win for her. She beat me at my own game.”

The New York Times reported that the thief wrote his message in Luganda, a Bantu language of Uganda. The email, according to the outlet, was faxed from a North American toll-free number that was also listed in court documents.

A Tennessee judge issued a temporary injunction blocking the sale at a hearing last Wednesday, at which no representatives from Naussany Investments appeared. Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins said he would continue Keough's fraud lawsuit, which asked the court to declare the trust deed illegitimate.

Learn more: What Priscilla Presley Got for Giving Up Lisa Marie's Trust: Graceland Funeral and $1 Million

The Shelby County Register of Deeds in Tennessee said late Tuesday that it had no records relating to a Graceland deed, according to broadcast media WREG Memphis. The deed also included the signature of Florida notary Kimberly L. Philbrick, who submitted an affidavit stating that she had never met Lisa Marie Presley or notarized a document signed by the singer.

Hours after Wednesday's ruling, a person claiming to be a representative of Naussany Investments submitted a statement saying the company intended to abandon its claims on Graceland, according to the Associated Press. However, the legal documents have not yet been released.

Elvis Presley Enterprises, which manages the Presley estate, told the Times in a statement at the time that it agreed with the court's decision to block the sale.

“As the court made clear, the allegations were unfounded,” the statement said. “There will be no seizure. 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 possible experience when visiting his iconic home.

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This story was originally published in the Los Angeles Times.