Priscilla Presley faces explosive allegations in a $50 million lawsuit filed by her former business partners, who accuse Elvis Presley’s ex-wife of fraud and breach of contract while making shocking claims about her daughter Lisa Marie Presley’s death in January 2023.
Brigitte Kruse, an Elvis memorabilia auctioneer, and Kevin Fialko, an Elvis memorabilia collector, filed the lawsuit on Monday, August 11, 2025, in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The plaintiffs claim Presley falsely represented ownership of her name, image and likeness rights despite allegedly selling those rights to the “Presley” name and “Graceland” in 2005 for $6.5 million.
The lawsuit contains disturbing allegations regarding Lisa Marie Presley’s death on January 12, 2023. According to court documents, Lisa Marie had been noticeably ill when she and her mother attended the Golden Globes on January 10, 2023, but Priscilla allegedly ignored warning signs about her daughter’s deteriorating health. When Lisa Marie suffered cardiac arrest and was hospitalized, the lawsuit claims Priscilla withdrew life-saving medical treatment despite her daughter’s advance directive requesting that her life be prolonged as long as possible.
The complaint alleges that Priscilla removed Lisa Marie from life support within hours of admission and before granddaughter Riley Keough could reach the hospital. The plaintiffs claim Priscilla then demanded that Kruse issue a media statement announcing the death to control the narrative surrounding Lisa Marie’s passing.
Kruse and Fialko assert that Priscilla’s actions were motivated by a desire to regain control of the Presley estate. The lawsuit states that Priscilla knew Lisa Marie was preparing to remove her as sole trustee of her irrevocable life insurance trust, and that Lisa Marie’s death would neutralize this threat while allowing Priscilla to control the Promenade Trust and Graceland.
The complaint includes an allegation that at Priscilla’s house the week following Lisa Marie’s death, but before the funeral, Priscilla declared she was “the queen” and in charge of Graceland. Lisa Marie, who was 54 at the time of her death, had been Elvis Presley’s sole heir and inherited his estate, including Graceland, when he died in 1977.
Beyond the allegations surrounding Lisa Marie’s death, the lawsuit accuses Priscilla of cutting ties with her business partners in November 2023 after they helped stabilize her finances. The plaintiffs claim they invested millions of dollars and years of work into revitalizing Priscilla’s brand, only to be excluded from compensation and accused of elder abuse.
The lawsuit also names Keya Morgan, Stan Lee’s former business manager, as a co-defendant. The plaintiffs allege Morgan interfered with their contracts with Priscilla and encouraged her to make false elder abuse claims against them as leverage to exclude them from assets and compensation they had legally earned.
Priscilla’s attorney Marty Singer issued a strong response to the allegations, calling the lawsuit “one of the most shameful, ridiculous, salacious, and meritless lawsuits” he had seen in his practice. Singer characterized the complaint as a vicious attempt to tarnish the reputation of an 80-year-old woman in retaliation for her own lawsuit against the defendants.
The legal battle stems from Priscilla’s July 2024 lawsuit against Kruse, Fialko, and other associates, in which she accused them of financial elder abuse and claimed they swindled her out of more than $1 million. In that complaint, Priscilla alleged the defendants manipulated her into signing contracts that gave them control over 80 percent of her income while leaving her with only a 20 percent share of companies created using her name and likeness.
According to court filings, Priscilla reported earning $1 million in 2024 from 34 paid appearances worldwide, with her primary income source being stage discussions called “An Evening With Priscilla.” She noted making $62,000 from just two events in Florida that year.
The plaintiffs’ attorney Jordan Matthews indicated that video recordings and communications confirm there was no evidence of undue influence, coercion or elder abuse, but rather a legitimate business partnership. Matthews stated his clients want to be vindicated and have their day in court to establish the truth.
Singer countered that Riley Keough stands behind her grandmother and is equally disgusted with the latest allegations against Priscilla. The attorney emphasized that accusing a grieving mother of contributing to her daughter’s death constitutes malicious character assassination rather than legitimate legal advocacy.
Following Lisa Marie’s death, ownership of Graceland and other estate assets transferred to Riley Keough, Lisa Marie’s eldest daughter. After a dispute over Lisa Marie’s will, Riley and Priscilla eventually reached a settlement that included Priscilla receiving a $1 million lump sum payment and a $100,000 annual salary for 10 years as a special advisor to the Promenade Trust.