A new legal battle has ignited around the Presley family, as former business associates of Priscilla Presley claim she stopped medical care for her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, just before Lisa Marie’s death.
Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles on Monday, August 11. They allege that Priscilla, who is 80 years old, "disconnected life support" for Lisa Marie. This happened within hours of Lisa Marie being admitted to the hospital in January 2023. Lisa Marie, who was 54, suffered a cardiac arrest. She was the only child of Priscilla and Elvis Presley.
Court documents obtained by Us Weekly reveal serious accusations. The plaintiffs claim Priscilla ignored Lisa Marie’s "clear directive to ‘prolong her life.’" They suggest this was part of a plan to "regain control" of Elvis’s estate. Kruse and Fialko also claim Priscilla knew Lisa Marie was trying to remove her as the sole trustee of her life insurance trust. They further allege that Priscilla demanded Kruse "issue a statement to the media" right after Lisa Marie’s death. This was supposedly to "control the narrative."
Kruse and Fialko are seeking more than $50 million in damages. Their lawsuit includes claims of fraud and breach of contract. They also state that Priscilla falsely accused them of elder abuse as part of a defamation campaign.
Priscilla’s lawyer, Martin D. Singer, quickly fired back. On Wednesday, August 13, he told Entertainment Weekly that the lawsuit is "one of the most embarrassing, ridiculous, sensational, and baseless lawsuits I have seen in my practice." Singer called it "a sad and cruel attempt to falsely tarnish the reputation of an eighty-year-old woman." He believes it is "clear retaliation" for Priscilla’s own earlier lawsuit against Kruse and Fialko.
In July 2024, Priscilla sued Kruse, Fialko, and two other business partners. She made 12 different accusations, including financial elder abuse. Court documents from that time, reviewed by Us, claimed these partners "meticulously planned" a scheme. They allegedly targeted "an elderly woman by gaining her trust, isolating her from the most important people in her life, and making her believe they would take care of her," both personally and financially. Singer previously stated that the defendants aimed to take over Priscilla’s money. He said they wanted to force her "into a form of contractual servitude," where she would work, and they would "receive most of any income she might earn in the future."
Jordan Matthews, the lawyer for Kruse and Fialko, offered his side of the story to EW on Wednesday. He stated his clients have "video recordings and communications." These, he claims, confirm "absolutely no evidence of undue influence, coercion, or elder abuse involved, only a legitimate and well-documented business partnership."
Singer ended his remarks with a strong statement. "Accusing a grieving mother of contributing to her daughter’s death is not a sensible defense; it is malicious defamation, and it should be widely condemned," he declared. "These invented claims have no validity, and we are confident that this case will be dismissed."
Lisa Marie inherited the Graceland property and more from Elvis after his death in 1977. After Lisa Marie passed away, ownership of the property moved to her daughter, Riley Keough, who is 36 years old. (Riley is Lisa Marie’s eldest daughter with her ex, Danny Keough. Lisa Marie’s son, Benjamin, died in 2020 at the age of 27). Riley and Priscilla had a dispute about Lisa Marie’s will, but they eventually reached an out-of-court settlement.
Riley shared her thoughts on the situation with Vanity Fair in a profile published late in 2024. "Things with grandma will be happy," Riley said. "They have never stopped being happy." She admitted there "was a bit of chaos" after her mom’s death, but expects everything "will go back to how it was before." Riley expressed her respect for Priscilla, calling her "a beautiful woman" and a "fundamental part in creating my grandfather’s legacy and Graceland." She noted, "It is very important to her. He was the love of her life."