Priscilla Presley Sues Former Business Associates for Over $1 Million, Claims Elder Abuse
Presley, the widow of Elvis Presley, claims that she was deceived into handing over 80 percent of her income.
Priscilla Presley, the widow of rock 'n' roll icon Elvis Presley, has filed a hefty one million lawsuit against her former business associates.
According to TMZ, the 79-year-old claims that Brigitte Kruse, owner of auction house GWS Auctions, and several others conned her out of more than one million. In the legal documents, filed on Thursday (July 18) by Presley's lawyer Marty Singer, Presley accused the group of financial elder abuse, also claiming that Kruse is a "con artist and pathological liar." Allegedly, Kruse gained authority over Presley's finances, coercing her into "a form of indentured servitude."
@dame_brigitte_kruse_ (Instagram)
Kruse sold Elvis memorabilia through an auction house, and upon meeting Priscilla Presley in 2021, allegedly began taking advantage of her through business ties. Presley says that Kruse falsely convinced her that her former financial advisors were dishonest, therefore demanding her to sign contracts and establishing companies that allotted Kruse and her associates to attain 80 percent of Presley's income.
Among one of these alleged deals was a cosmetics company in which Presley was to receive ownership interest, but instead agreed to $300,000 upfront, accusing her former associates of divvying up among themselves.
Smaller amounts were allegedly stolen from the account of Presley's son, Navarone, in addition to charging Presley for moving and storage costs and deals related to Lisa Marie Presley. Last year, Presley and her granddaughter, actress Riley Keough, settled a dispute over Lisa Marie's estate.
Presley also claims that she was given minority shares in the companies that were created and profited from her name, including 2023 A24 film Priscilla.
Presley and Kruse have been embroiled in legal battles before. Earlier this year, Kruse sued Presley for breach of contract, accusing her of halting all communication last August involving projects under their company, Priscilla Presley Partners.
