Priscilla Presley’s lawsuit latest in Elvis’ family drama after Graceland nearly landed on……
Priscilla Presley’s lawsuit latest in Elvis’ family drama after Graceland nearly landed on auction block
Elvis Presley’s ex-wife is suing former business partners after they allegedly duped her out of $1 million.
Priscilla Presley’s recent lawsuit against her former business associates, whom she accuses of defrauding her of $1 million, is the latest drama to unfold at Graceland in recent years.
In a lawsuit filed on July 18, Elvis Presley’s ex-wife accused four former business associates of “meticulously planned” financial abuse.
In May, Presley’s iconic Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, was scheduled for auction, but officials cancelled the sale at the last minute.
In Jan. 2023, Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s only child, Lisa Marie, died at the age of 54. Her cause of death was ruled as a “sequale of small bowel obstruction,” according to the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office.
Here’s a look at the recent tragedies that the Graceland estate and Presley family have faced.
Priscilla’s elderly abuse lawsuit
Presley, 79, named Brigitte Kruse, Kevin Fialko, Vahe Sislyan, and Lynn Walker Wright in her complaint filed last week, according to documentation acquired by Fox News Digital.
The actress said she was misled into signing contracts that guaranteed over 80% of her income and lost more than $1 million. Presley sued for financial elder abuse, fraud in inducement, breach of fiduciary duty, and legal malpractice.
“This action arises out of a meticulously planned and abhorrent scheme by the Defendants in this action to prey on an older woman by gaining her trust, isolating her from the most important people in her life, and duping her into believing that they would take care of her (personally and financially), while their real goal was to drain her of every last penny she had,” according to the court proceedings.
Presley’s lawyer, Martin Singer, alleged that the former partners intended to force Elvis Presley’s ex-wife into “indentured servitude” in exchange for the “lion’s share” of any future revenue.
Kruse, Fialko, Sislyan, Walker, and Presley began their connection two years ago, according to court filings. Presley supposedly met Kruse, the owner of an Elvis Presley memorabilia shop, in 2021.
According to Singer, the organization convinced Presley that her old business counsel were “deceitful or incompetent” and that she was losing millions of dollars.
“By isolating her and immersing themselves in every aspect of her life, the Defendants were able to fraudulently induce Presley into giving them power of attorney, control over her family and personal trusts, and control over her bank accounts,” according to the court filings.
Presley claimed the group sued her for breach of contract in Florida after their “scheme had been uncovered.”
The actress is now asking for a trial by jury and no less than $1 million, plus her attorney’s fees. Presley also requested special damages and punitive damages along with preliminary and permanent injunctive relief.
Graceland estate faced the auction block
Elvis’ Graceland mansion nearly went up for auction in May before the foreclosure was prevented.
Authorities first delayed the sale after Presley’s granddaughter, Riley Keough, claimed that a bogus corporation had prepared false documents saying that her late mother, Lisa Marie Presley, had taken out a multimillion-dollar loan that she never paid back. Graceland was purportedly included in the false paperwork as collateral through a signed deed of trust.
According to USA Today, the attempted transaction is still being investigated, but it is now part of a federal probe.
“The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office looked into the Graceland matter, and it quickly became apparent that this was a matter best suited for federal law enforcement,” director of communications for the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office Amy Lannom Wilhite said in a statement to the outlet.
“We have faith in our federal partners and know they will handle this appropriately.”
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti stated at the time of the attempted foreclosure sale that his agency will be investigating Naussany Investments and Private Lending.
Naussany said Lisa Marie took out a $3.8 million loan that she never paid back before dying in 2023. The corporation then announced plans to sell Elvis’ estate and neighboring acreage at a foreclosure auction.
About 600,000 tourists visit the property each year, according to the property’s website. Graceland generates $150 million in overall economic impact for Memphis, Tennessee.
It was designated a National Historic landmark in March 2006. In 1991, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Lisa Marie’s sudden death
On Jan. 12, 2023, Lisa Marie died at the age of 54.
“Priscilla Presley and her family are startled and grieved by the untimely death of their darling Lisa Marie. “They are deeply grateful for everyone’s support, love, and prayers, and request privacy during this very difficult time,” Priscilla’s representative stated in a statement to Fox News Digital at the time.
Lisa Marie Presley was rushed to a hospital in Los Angeles after sheriff’s deputies responded to a “not breathing call,” officials confirmed to Fox News Digital.
According to the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s office, Lisa Marie’s cause of death was broken down into two parts.
“Cause A” on the report was listed as a “sequale of small bowel obstruction.”
“Cause D” also listed “other significant conditions.” Her manner of death was listed as “natural.”
The autopsy report stated that she had complained of stomach ache earlier in the day. Presley suffered a frequent consequence from a bariatric surgical operation she underwent years ago.
According to the Mayo Clinic, it is commonly used when other weight-loss strategies have failed or a person has a serious medical problem.
Lisa Marie was interred at Graceland with her renowned father and her son, Benjamin, who committed suicide in 2020.