Priscilla Presley Sues Former Partners for Financial Elder Abuse

Since the January 2023 death of Elvis Presley’s only child, Lisa Marie Presley, the sole ownership of his estate has transferred to his granddaughter, Riley Keough. Priscilla Presley, Elvis’s ex-wife, has been relegated to a minor role in managing the estate, and she has not been pleased with this shift in control.

Shortly after Lisa Marie’s passing, Priscilla contested amendments to a living trust in the Los Angeles Superior Court. These amendments had named her granddaughter Riley as the sole trustee, while removing Priscilla and former business manager Barry Siegel from their roles as co-trustees. Although Priscilla was allowed to serve as a special adviser to the trust and receive a monthly payment for her role, she has returned to court to claim “financial elder abuse.”

Priscilla’s latest court filing accuses her ex-business partners and Priscilla Presley Partners, LLC, of misappropriating more than $1 million and forcing her into a “form of indentured servitude.” TMZ initially reported the details of this filing, later picked up by other media outlets like People.

In the lawsuit, Priscilla’s lawyer, Marty Singer, claims that former partner Brigitte Kruse manipulated Priscilla by gaining her trust, isolating her, and leading her to believe they would take personal and financial care of her. Singer describes the defendants’ actions as a “meticulously planned and abhorrent scheme” to exploit an older woman.

Responding to the accusations on her Instagram, Kruse quoted Winston Churchill and expressed her belief that the truth would eventually come out. She wrote about standing still, praying for those who have deeply hurt her, and trusting in divine justice. Despite the alleged wrongdoings, she indicated she continues to pray for blessings for everyone, including those who have harmed her.

In an interesting twist, Kruse had previously sued Priscilla in October 2023, accusing her of illegally backing out of their business relationship around the time of Lisa Marie’s death. Their professional relationship, which began in 2021 through mutual friends, initially focused on Kruse helping to sell Elvis memorabilia.

According to the lawsuit, Kruse allegedly used this role to fraudulently gain power of attorney, taking control over Priscilla’s family and personal trusts as well as her bank accounts. This development marked the beginning of a deeply contentious legal battle between the former business partners.