Alleged ‘Nigerian scammer’ comes forward in Graceland scandal

May 29 (UPI) -- Someone claiming to be a Nigerian identity thief and scammer took responsibility for the recent failed attempt to foreclose on and sell Elvis Presley's former Graceland home in Memphis.

The self-proclaimed scammer responded Friday to emails seeking information from CNN and the New York Times.

The news outlets used an email address provided on documents allegedly created by Naussany Investments & Private Lending, which allegedly attempted a foreclosure sale on Graceland Thursday.

Presley's granddaughter, actress Riley Keough, successfully filed to stop the foreclosure sale, which a Tennessee judge halted on May 22 and suggested she would prevail in a fraud claim.

"I didn't win this one," the respondent told CNN. "I've stole [sic] many identities and received monies. We don't win them all."

The writer of the email to the New York Times claimed to be the leader of an identity theft ring that operates on the dark web and has "worms" placed across the United States.

"We figure out how to steal," the email writer said. "That's what we do."

The alleged scammer claimed the group is especially active in Florida and California and targets individuals who recently died by drafting fraudulent loan agreements.

Because the people are dead, they aren't able to deny borrowing money and defaulting on loans they never borrowed.

CNN and the New York Times each reported the respective emails they received were written in Luganda, which is the Bantu language of Uganda, the L.A.Times reported.

The emails' writer claimed to be located in Nigeria, whose official language is English and where the Luganda language isn't used, according to Translators without Borders.

In the Graceland case, the alleged scammer filed paperwork claiming Keough's mother and Elvis' daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, borrowed $3.8 million in 2018 but defaulted on the loan.

Lisa Marie Presley died in 2023 and is buried at Graceland along with her mother, Priscilla, and Elvis.

Keough challenged the loan claim, saying her mother's signatures on the loan and deed of trust were forged and Florida notary Kimberly Philbrick said she never signed the paperwork.

Philbrick provided an affidavit saying she never met Lisa Marie Presley or notarized her signature on the documents.

Shelby County Chancery Court Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins halted the foreclosure sale following an eight-minute hearing.

About 600,000 people visit the Graceland mansion every year, making it the nation's second-most visited residence after the White House.