Priscilla Presley has sued four of her former business associates after claiming that they had planned a scheme to “to drain her of every last penny she had”.
- READ MORE: Sofia Coppola on baring Elvis’ ugly side in ‘Priscilla’: “I never wanted him to be a villain”
According to a complaint filed on July 18, the ex-wife of Elvis Presley claimed that the group of associates had conned her out of $1million. It accused Florida-based memorabilia auctioneer Brigitte Kruse as well as Kevin Fialko, Vahe Sislyan and Lynn Walker Wright of crookedly convincing her to give them power over her and then abusing that control in efforts to steal her money.
The filing describes Kruse as a “con-artist and pathological liar” who allegedly stole over $1 million from Presley and also claimed that she “fraudulently induced” Presley into signing contracts that gave the defendants named in the lawsuit 80 per cent of her income.
The complaint went on to allege that Kruse forced Presley “into a form of indentured servitude, where [she] was forced to work so that they could receive the lion’s share of any revenue that she was able to earn in the future,” (per Rolling Stone).
“This action arises out of a meticulously planned and abhorrent scheme by the defendants in this action to prey on an older woman by gaining her trust, isolating her from the most important people in her life, and duping her into believing that they would take care of her (personally and financially), while their real goal was to drain her of every last penny she had,” shared high-profile attorney and Presley’s representative Martin Singer.
He continued: “The fact that the plaintiff in this case is internationally recognized actress, author, and cultural icon … demonstrates both how effective the defendants’ plan was (and needed to be), and how anyone can be a victim of elder abuse and fraud.”
According to Far Out Magazine, the 45-page complaint saw Presley claim that Kruse had “quickly immersed herself in Presley’s life” following their initial meeting in 2021. The complaint further alleged that Kruse would send “her multiple text messages a day, and telling her how much she loved her and admired her.”
The complaint also alleged that Kruse and her associates were attempting to turn Presley against her previous advisors and made up false reasons for “massive payments they made to themselves from Presley’s bank accounts.”
Kruse and Presley have been in a legal battle for some time now with the memorabilia auctioneer previously suing Presley for breach of contract in Florida after claiming that she had walked away from their business partnership following the passing of her daughter Lisa Marie Presley in 2023.
The new suit claimed that Kruse’s previous complaint was in attempt to further control Presley and the narrative of this story. “When it became clear to the defendants that their scheme had been uncovered, they attempted to falsely portray themselves as the victims by filing a lawsuit against Presley in Florida in the name of several of the sham companies they established,” the new complaint states.
Presley is seeking at least $1 million in general damages as well as punitive damages and attorney’s fees. She also seeks to have the “fraudulently-induced agreements” with the defendants rescinded in effort to regain control of her accounts.
“What Presley cannot accomplish through this action, however, is the rehabilitation of her personal friendships and relationships that were disrupted and/or materially harmed by the selfish, fraudulent acts of defendants, which could take years to accomplish, if at all,” stated the filing.
In other news, earlier this year, a Tennessee judge blocked the planned auction sale of Elvis Presley’s iconic Graceland residence.
