The granddaughter of Elvis Presley Riley Q won a court order Wednesday that blocks the impending sale of the late singer's historic Memphis home, Graceland, after her lawyers argued that the bizarre attempt to sell the home was “fraudulent.”
In a Memphis court hearing, Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins granted Keough's request for a preliminary injunction that would block the mysterious foreclosure proceeding — originally set for Thursday — until she can rule on her case, according to court records reviewed by Advertising sign.
As CNN reported, the judge said during the hearing that Keough would likely win her arguments — and that allowing the sale of the iconic mansion to go ahead in the meantime would cause her so-called irreparable harm.
“Property is considered unique under Tennessee law, and because it is unique, the loss of the real estate would be considered irreparable harm,” Jenkins said at the hearing.
In a case filed in Tennessee court last week, Keough alleged that the foreclosure was caused by false claims from a company called Naussany Investments — an entity that allegedly claimed her late mother, Lisa Marie Presley, borrowed 3, 8 million dollars and used the famous mansion as collateral. .
The alleged loans are recorded in documents provided by Naussany that bear Lisa Marie's signature, but Keough's lawyers say those records are “forged” and that she “did not actually sign the documents.”
“These documents are fraudulent,” Keough's attorneys wrote in their May 15 complaint, obtained by Advertising sign. “Lisa Marie Presley never borrowed money from Naussany Investments and never gave a deed of trust to Naussany Investments.”
Naussany (Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC) could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday's order. Keough's attorney also did not return a request for comment.
When Elvis died in 1977, his daughter Lisa Marie inherited his estate, including Graceland – a tourist mecca that brings in millions of dollars a year. Until her death last year, she served as a trustee of the Promenade Trust, an entity that controls the Memphis mansion. When he died, Keough assumed the same role and assumed control of the property.
According to the lawsuit, Naussany claims she made the multimillion-dollar loan to Lisa Marie in 2018 and recorded the transaction in Florida. But Keough's lawyers say Naussany is “a sham entity created for the purpose of defrauding the Promenade Trust,” orchestrated by a man named Kurt Naussany, who has sent “numerous emails seeking to collect an alleged debt of 3.8 million dollars”.
Keough's lawyers say the evidence “strongly indicates that the documents are forged” – notably, that the notary who allegedly signed off on the transaction confirmed that she did not. “Indeed, he confirmed that he has never met Lisa Marie Presley or endorsed any document for her.”
Following Wednesday's decision, the case will now proceed to more detailed appeals of Keough's allegations and ultimately to a final decision.
