PHOTO: Lisa Marie Presley. FILE
👑 The Only Child of the King — and a $150m Inheritance
When Lisa Marie Presley died suddenly in 2023 aged 54, her death exposed a tangled web of debt, legal disputes and financial mismanagement that stunned fans around the world.
As the only child of Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie inherited not only global fame — but also one of the most valuable celebrity estates in history, including Graceland.
At one point, her fortune was estimated at US$300 million. By the time she died, court filings revealed her net worth had plunged to negative US$10 million.
🏠 How Lisa Marie Inherited Graceland
Elvis purchased Graceland in 1957 for just US$102,500, long before it became a global tourist icon.
After his death in 1977, ownership of the estate was placed in trust for Lisa Marie. On her 25th birthday, she became the sole beneficiary — inheriting both the Memphis mansion and around US$100 million (approx. A$150m) in cash.
Determined not to repeat her father’s financial mistakes, Lisa Marie helped establish the Elvis Presley Trust alongside her mother Priscilla Presley, with support from the National Bank of Commerce.
She publicly vowed that Graceland would never be sold.
The plot to steal Graceland from Elvis Presley’s granddaughter | WATCH
📉 Where Did the Money Go?
Despite the enormous inheritance, Lisa Marie’s wealth rapidly evaporated.
At the time of her death, legal documents showed she had:
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💵 US$95,266 in cash
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📊 US$714,775 in shares and investments
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🧾 Over US$1 million owed to the IRS
Her income still included:
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💰 US$104,000 per month from Elvis Presley Enterprises (15% stake)
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🏛️ US$4,361 per month as an employee of Graceland
But her spending was equally eye-watering.
Monthly expenses reportedly exceeded US$92,000, including:
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🏘️ US$23,500 in rent
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🚗 US$1,708 for a Maserati
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💳 Extensive lifestyle and legal costs
Saving money was virtually impossible.
THIS IS GRACELAND, ELVIS PRESLEY’S MANSION, WHERE HIS DAUGHTER LISA MARIE WILL BE BURIED
⚠️ The Business Manager Battle
Rather than managing the Presley empire herself, Lisa Marie appointed high-profile business managers — including Barry Siegel.
In 2005, she sold 85% of Elvis Presley Enterprises, dramatically reducing her control over her father’s legacy.
Lisa Marie later sued Siegel, accusing him of reckless mismanagement and risky investments. He responded that the deal cleared US$20 million in debt, delivered US$40 million in cash, and provided an ongoing income stream — much of which he said Lisa Marie later squandered.
The lawsuit cemented her reputation as a tragic example of inherited wealth gone wrong.
Elvis bought the home for just $US102,500 in 1957. Picture: EPE
🚨 The Scam That Nearly Sold Graceland
In a jaw-dropping twist, Graceland itself was almost lost — not to debt, but to fraud.
In 2025, Lisa Jeanine Findley, posing as a fake investor, claimed Lisa Marie had pledged Graceland as collateral for a US$3.8 million loan before her death.
She threatened to auction the property unless the Presley family paid US$2.8 million to settle the fictitious debt.
The scammer even:
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📄 Forged documents with Lisa Marie’s signature
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📰 Published a fake foreclosure notice in a Memphis newspaper
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🏛️ Claimed ownership through a bogus finance company
A judge blocked the sale after Lisa Marie’s daughter Riley Keough filed suit, proving the loan never existed.
Findley was later sentenced to four years and nine months in prison.
After Elvis’ death in 1977, Graceland was left to Lisa Marie, as part of her eye-watering inheritance. Picture: Wikimedia Commons
⚖️ Family Feuds After Her Death
Lisa Marie’s death triggered further turmoil within the Presley family.
Priscilla Presley challenged a 2016 amendment that removed her as trustee and appointed Riley Keough as sole controller of the estate.
The dispute was eventually settled, with Riley reportedly paying:
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💵 US$1 million lump sum
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⚖️ US$400,000 in legal fees
The settlement confirmed Riley as sole trustee and allowed Priscilla the right to be buried at Graceland.
Riley later described the aftermath bluntly:
“When my mum passed, there was chaos in every aspect of our lives.”
A scammer plotted to defraud Lisa Marie’s family out of millions of dollars and auction off Graceland. Picture: Memphis Tourism
🧠 The Bigger Lesson Behind the Presley Tragedy
Lisa Marie Presley’s story is a cautionary tale of how enormous wealth, poor advice, unchecked spending and legal complexity can destroy even the most iconic family fortunes.
Despite Graceland surviving — for now — her legacy stands as one of the most dramatic financial collapses in celebrity history.
💬 Inherited wealth doesn’t guarantee security — especially when legacy, emotion and business collide.
Priscilla Presley and her daughter Lisa Marie Presley Picture: Tim Sloan/Getty Images
SOURCE: NEWS.COM.AU