A former business partner of Priscilla Presley has initiated a lawsuit claiming over $50 million in damages, citing fraud and breach of contract.
Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko filed their complaint on Monday in the Los Angeles Superior Court. They allege that Presley concealed her history of financially exploiting her own name, image, and likeness, which they assert she sold decades ago.
This legal action follows a suit from Presley, who, last year, accused Kruse and Fialko of “elderly abuse” as part of a “meticulously planned and abominable scheme.” She claimed they preyed on older women by gaining their trust, isolating them from loved ones, and ultimately draining their finances under false pretenses.
The attorney for Kruse and Fialko asserts, “My client is the true victim here. After investing millions and years into revitalizing the Priscilla Presley brand, I’m prepared to demonstrate the financial stakes involved, and that personal issues have only been falsely accused after matters were supposedly resolved.”
Attempts to reach Presley’s lawyer for comment were unsuccessful.
The lawsuit indicates that Kruse is a well-known auctioneer and Fialko is a successful entrepreneur, both of whom have dealt with Elvis Presley memorabilia. They had previously brought a suit against Priscilla Presley in Florida.
According to the plaintiffs, Presley approached them back in 2021.
“Kruse and Fialko utilized their intellectual property and marketing skills to bolster Priscilla’s brand,” the lawsuit states, noting their formation of several companies aimed at leveraging her name and image.
However, they allege that they were not informed that Presley had sold the licensing rights to her name in 2005 as part of a $6.5 million agreement with Elvis Presley Enterprises.
When confronted with this earlier deal, the lawsuit claims Presley denied it and later offered that she simply forgot when shown evidence.
Additionally, the lawsuit accuses Presley of attempting to exploit the 2023 passing of her daughter and Elvis’s heir, Lisa Marie Presley, in efforts to reclaim shares in Elvis’s estate.
Priscilla and Elvis were married from 1967 to 1973 and divorced four years prior to the rock legend’s death.
Kruse and Fialko contend that they negotiated a 2023 contract intended to resolve a legal dispute regarding real estate between Priscilla Presley and her granddaughter, actress Riley Keough. This contract specified that Priscilla would receive $2.4 million.
Yet, according to the lawsuit, she soon breached this contract, publicly disparaged them, and then filed her own lawsuit.
Presley’s case against Kruse and Fialko claims they misleadingly convinced her that she was vital to her financial recovery, while her former trusted advisor was actually deceiving her.
They assert that she was pushed into an illegitimate company, losing control over her name and image, which they describe as a “form of indentured service.”
The lawsuit claims that by isolating Presley and integrating themselves into every aspect of her life, the defendants were able to gain power of attorney, misleading her into allowing them to manage her personal and financial affairs.
Priscilla first became a public figure as a teenager due to her relationship with one of the most famous men in history.
While she has remained in the public eye, her prominence has seen a resurgence, especially with recent films like Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 movie “Elvis” and Sofia Coppola’s 2023 film “Priscilla,” both based on her experiences.
She’s also known for her role in the original “Naked Gun” films from the 1980s and 1990s and even made a cameo in a recent reboot.
