Priscilla Presley’s former business partners accused the rock widow of hastening daughter Lisa Marie’s death to secure her own spot atop Elvis’ massive financial kingdom, according to a bombshell lawsuit filed in Los Angeles this week.
Plaintiffs Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko accused Priscilla Presley, the former wife of Elvis Presley, of fraud, breach of contract and other civil misdeeds in a Los Angeles County Superior Court action entered on Monday.
“Elvis Presley is the ‘King of Rock n’ Roll,'” the lawsuit says. “Defendant Priscilla Presley always wanted to the ‘Queen.’ In fact, despite flaunting a public persona that only wanted to ‘protect’ and ‘keep her family together,’ Priscilla ultimately wanted one thing, power, no matter the cost.”
Priscilla Presley’s attorney Marty Singer disputed the allegations in a two-page statement Thursday.
“This is without a doubt, one of the most shameful, ridiculous, salacious and meritless lawsuits I have seen in my practice,” Singer said in a 648-word statement.
“These fabricated claims have absolutely no validity and we are confident this case will be dismissed.”
Kruse, an auctioneer who specialized in Elvis sales, and Fialko, an Elvis memorabilia collector, said they had been collaborating with Priscilla Presley for years to leverage her name for maximum profits.
But once Kruse and Fialko got her back on stable financial footing in November 2023, they allege, she “abruptly cut ties” with them and denied them compensation from the movie “Priscilla.”
Earlier that year, the defendant’s daughter, Lisa Marie, died at age 54.
Lisa Marie had been ailing, but Priscilla insisted they attend a Golden Globes event together on Jan. 10 as Priscilla “clasped to the spotlight,” the lawsuit said.
Lisa Marie had collapsed at her home days earlier and died of small bowel obstruction, the medical examiner’s office ruled.
“Priscilla rushed to West Hills Hospital and despite Lisa’s clear directive to ‘prolong her life,’ Priscilla pulled the plug within hours of Lisa being admitted,” according to the lawsuit.
“Priscilla knew that Lisa’s death neutralized the threat of Lisa’s efforts to have Priscilla removed as the sole trustee of Lisa’s irrevocable life insurance trust and Priscilla ultimately wanted to control the Promenade Trust and Graceland. At her house the week following (before Lisa’s funeral), Priscilla exclaimed, ”I’m the queen, I’m in charge of Graceland.’ Kruse and Fialko were heartbroken by the unsettling behavior.”
Singer, Priscilla Presley’s lawyer, said his client’s granddaughter Riley Keough “stands behind her grandmother 100%.”
Keough “is equally disgusted with this latest, vicious attempt by Kruse to attempt to ruin her grandmother’s life,” Singer said.
A rep for Keough, Lisa Marie’s daughter and Priscilla’s granddaughter, could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.
Elvis and Priscilla Presley were married for six years and divorced in 1973, four years before Elvis died.
