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 rock icon Elvis Presley, of fraud, breach of contract and other civil misdeeds in the L.A. County Superior Court action entered on Monday.
Kruse, an auctioneer who specialized in Elvis sales, and Fialko, an Elvis memorabilia collector, said they had been collaborating with the defendants for years to leverage her name for maximum profits.
But once the plaintiffs got Priscilla Presley back on stable financial footing in November 2023, they allege she “abruptly cut ties” with Kruse and Fialko 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 her mom Priscilla insisted they attend a Golden Globes together event on Jan. 10 as the mother “clasped to the spotlight,” the lawsuit said.
Lisa Marie 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.”
Reps for Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough, Lisa Marie’s daughter the defendant’s granddaughter, could not be immediately reached for comment on Thursday.
Elvis and Priscilla Presley were married for six years prior to their 1973 divorce, which was four years before the king’s passing.
Priscilla Presley is now 80 and Elvis was 42 when he died on Aug. 16, 1977 at Graceland.