Priscilla Presley has forcefully rejected what she calls “malicious” and “meritless” allegations that she played a role in her daughter Lisa Marie Presley’s death to reclaim control of the Presley estate. The claims, brought in a $50 million civil lawsuit by former business partners Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko, accuse the 80-year-old of fraud, reputation damage, and exploiting the tragedy to secure Elvis Presley’s legacy and assets.
Priscilla Presley’s attorney, Mark Singer, has branded the claims “one of the most shameful, ridiculous, salacious, and meritless lawsuits” he has ever seen.
The suit alleges that Presley set out to “defraud” Kruse and Fialko, “destroy reputations with unsubstantiated claims,” and “exploit” Lisa Marie’s death to “regain control over Elvis Presley’s legacy and assets.”
According to the legal complaint, Presley allegedly dismissed her daughter’s health concerns during the Golden Globes on January 10th, 2023. Lisa Marie appeared to be there support the Elvis biopic, but just died just two days later, on January 12th, from small bowel obstruction, which led to cardiac arrest. She was 54.
The lawsuit further claims Presley was aware that Lisa Marie intended to remove her as sole trustee of her irrevocable life insurance trust and was considering legal action. It also accuses Presley of ignoring her daughter’s 2010 Advance Health Care Directive, which stated that life should be prolonged as long as possible, and of authorizing the removal of life support before granddaughter Riley Keough could arrive at the hospital.
The plaintiffs allege that Presley knew Lisa Marie’s death eliminated the risk of losing her trustee role and that she wanted to control both the Promenade Trust and Graceland. They also claim she told others at her home, before Lisa Marie’s funeral, “I’m the queen. I’m in charge of Graceland.”
Presley’s attorney, Marty Singer, dismissed the allegations in a statement to the Daily Mail, saying, “This is, without a doubt, one of the most shameful, ridiculous, salacious, and meritless lawsuits I have seen in my practice.“
Singer continued, “This is nothing more than a sad and vicious attempt to falsely tarnish the reputation of an 80-year-old woman in blatant retaliation for bringing a lawsuit to redress the wrongful conduct of Brigitte Kruse, Kevin Fialko, and their co-conspirators.”
“Kruse and her co-conspirators are now on their fourth different set of lawyers in this dispute, and this is a disgusting publicity stunt by new counsel, as evidenced by the fact that the complaint and press release were sent to the press before the complaint was served.
“Accusing a grieving mother of contributing to her daughter’s death is not savvy advocacy; it is malicious character assassination, and should be broadly condemned.”
“These fabricated claims have absolutely no validity, and we are confident this case will be dismissed.”
Lisa Marie’s daughter and Presley’s granddaughter, singer Riley Keough, 36, “stands behind her grandmother 100% and is equally disgusted with this latest, vicious attempt by Kruse to attempt to ruin her grandmother’s life,” according to Singer.
In August 2023, Keough became heir to her mother’s trust and now oversees the sub-trusts for her 16-year-old twin sisters, Harper and Finley.