Priscilla Presley Prevails in Legal Battle Against Former Business Partners Over Elder Abuse Allegations

Priscilla Presley Wins Initial Legal Battle

Priscilla Presley has secured a victory in the first phase of a lawsuit regarding elder abuse, which she initiated against her former business partners.

Details of the Lawsuit

On Thursday (April 3), the judge in Los Angeles ruled in favor of Elvis Presley’s ex-wife, determining that California was the appropriate jurisdiction for the trial concerning her allegations that her former associates deprived her of over $1 million.

The complaint, filed in July of the previous year, accuses Florida auctioneer Bridget Kruze, along with Kevin Fialko, Vahe Sisla, and Lynn Walker Wright, of manipulating Presley into granting them control over her finances, and subsequently abusing that power to misappropriate her funds.

The legal proceedings will continue with the next hearing scheduled in a few weeks.

According to Katya Stone, Judge Mark H. Epstein dismissed the arguments from Cruise and Fialko, who contended that Presley’s allegations of elder abuse should be put on hold while they pursue a separate claim against her in Florida.

The defendants argued that defending against a lawsuit in California while also addressing their existing claims against Presley in Florida would be “extremely inconvenient.”

Epstein addressed this argument, noting: “Another is that it seems an endless series of motions… to remove this matter from California to Florida.” He further rejected the claim that Presley had signed contracts that mandated disputes to be handled in Florida.

“This is not merely a contractual case; it centers around allegations of fraud,” Epstein stated in his ruling. “The plaintiff is suing the defendants for fraud and elder abuse, aspects of which they purportedly coerced her into signing these agreements.”

He added that while Kruze, her spouse, and Fialko may reside in Florida and Tennessee, Presley and her intended witnesses are based in California. Epstein also emphasized that the alleged abuse took place in California, which grants the state a significant public interest in the matter.

“The defendants appear to almost disregard the elder abuse claims which are not linked to Florida. However, this is a case rooted in California,” he wrote. “The plaintiff (Presley) claims that the witnesses to the alleged elder abuse, as well as the circumstances affecting her before and after the supposed incidents, are situated in California, not in Florida. Similarly, she asserts that many of the documents pertinent to the abuse claims are also here. The court tends to concur.”

The defendants asserted that Presley voluntarily entered into agreements regarding property rentals in Florida and assigned control over her advertising rights.

The initial filing describes Kruze as a “fraudulent and pathological liar”, who is accused of stealing over $1 million from Presley, further claiming that she “fraudulently coerced” Presley into contracts that granted the defendants 80 percent of her earnings.

This allegedly involved $500,000 earned from Sofia Coppola’s adaptation of her biography Elvis and Me and $349,900 related to her deal with Cilla Cosmetics. Presley claims that she entered into an agreement for Coppola’s film titled Priscilla prior to Kruze and Fialko’s involvement in her affairs, but the duo “never compensated her for a dime,” according to her lawsuit.

The complaint further details that Kruze coerced Presley “into a state of servitude, forcing her to work so that they could claim the lion’s share of any income she might generate in the future” (for Katya Stone).

According to Far Out Magazine, in her 45-page complaint, Presley alleges that Kruze “quickly immersed herself in Presley’s life” after their initial meeting in 2021. The complaint additionally alleges that Kruze would send “multiple text messages daily, professing her affection and admiration for Presley.”

Presley also indicated that Kruze and Fialko “sought invitations to the premiere of Priscilla at the Venice Film Festival,” despite having “no connection to the film.”

The legal filing also claims that Kruze and her associates attempted to turn Presley against her previous advisors and created false justifications for the “substantial payments they made to themselves from Presley’s accounts.”

Kruze and Presley have a history of conflict, as the memorabilia auctioneer previously sued Presley for breach of contract in Florida, alleging that she had exited their business partnership following the death of her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, in 2023.

The recent lawsuit asserts that Kruze’s prior complaint was an attempt to further control Presley and the narrative surrounding her story. “When the defendants realized their scheme was exposed, they attempted to falsely present themselves as victims by filing a lawsuit against Presley in Florida using several fictitious companies they created,” states the new complaint.

Presley seeks at least $1 million in damages, along with punitive damages and legal fees. She also aims to void “fraudulently obtained agreements” and seeks the defendants’ cancellation to regain control over her financial accounts.

“However, Presley cannot achieve through this action the restoration of her personal friendships and relationships that were damaged and/or financially harmed due to the self-serving, fraudulent actions of the defendants, which may take years to reconcile, if at all,” the filing concludes.