Latest news with #BrigitteKruse
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Priscilla Presley Accused of $50 Million Fraud in Dispute With Former Business Partners
Priscilla Presley has been accused of fraud in a messy dispute with two former business partners who claim that she used her celebrity status to tarnish their reputations. Brigitte Kruse, an Elvis memorabilia auctioneer, and Kevin Fialko, an Elvis memorabilia collector, sued Presley on Monday for fraud and breach of contract. They are seeking more than $50 million in damages. More from Variety Priscilla Presley's Iconic Eye Makeup Inspires New Beauty Collab from A24 and Half Magic Baz Luhrmann's Elvis Biopic Casts 'The Society's' Olivia DeJonge as Priscilla Presley The suit comes a year after Presley sued Kruse, Fialko and others, claiming that they had swindled her out of at least $1 million and had taken advantage of her trust and her old age in order to enter into unconscionable business arrangements. In the new lawsuit, Kruse and Fialko allege that Priscilla falsely claimed ownership of her full name, image and likeness, despite having allegedly sold the rights to the 'Presley' name and 'Graceland' in 2005 for $6.5 million. According to the suit, Prelsey later claimed she had forgotten about the deal. The complaint alleges that she failed to disclose this information while securing millions in investments and benefiting from thousands of hours of brand development, IP contributions and expertise provided by Kruse and Fialko. According to the plaintiffs, following her daughter Lisa Marie Presley's death, Priscilla and her associate, Keya Morgan, allegedly retaliated with false accusations of elder abuse — an alleged tactic intended to damage Kruse and Fialko's reputations, avoid contractual obligations, and regain control of the Presley estate. 'As detailed video recordings and communications already confirm, there is absolutely no evidence of undue influence, coercion, or elder abuse involved, only a legitimate, well-documented business partnership,' said Los Angeles attorney Jordan Matthews, who represents Kruse and Fialko. 'The evidence will establish that the real victims here are my clients, who invested millions and years of hard work into revitalizing Priscilla Presley's brand, only to be betrayed and falsely accused once the money was on the table and every personal and business issue had been resolved.' Lisa Marie died in January 2023 at the age of 54 due to cardiac arrest. The lawsuit claims that Priscilla did not follow her daughter's 'clear directive to 'prolong her life'' and instead, 'Priscilla pulled the plug within hours of Lisa [Marie] being admitted, and before her granddaughter, Riley [Keough], was able to get to the hospital, demanding that Kruse issue a statement to the media, so she could control the narrative.' The filing alleges that Presley exploited her daughter's death to reclaim control over assets she had previously sold and to invalidate contracts that no longer served her interests. 'Priscilla knew that Lisa's death neutralized the threat of Lisa's efforts to have Priscilla removed as the sole trustee of Lisa's irrevocable life insurance trust,' the lawsuit states, adding that Priscilla 'ultimately wanted to control' Lisa Marie's Promenade Trust — which Lisa Marie established after coming into her inheritance in 1993 — and Graceland. The complaint further claims that Morgan encouraged Priscilla to weaponize elder abuse claims — allegedly knowing they were false — and using them as leverage to exclude Kruse and Fialko from assets and compensation they had legally earned. 'Elder abuse is a very serious problem in our society,' Matthews said. 'It's unfortunate that Priscilla is doing for elder abuse what Amber Heard did for the #Metoo movement.' Matthews added: 'Priscilla stated that she was 'forced into indentured servitude,' which unfortunately undermines the important work of the Civil Rights movement.' He continued, 'Our complaint alleges that Priscilla targeted Kruse and Fialko from day one, when she was in dire financial need, faced with mounting IRS debt and multiple lawsuits, even within her own family. The complaint alleges that Priscilla's relationship with her daughter was in ruins for decades and long before Kruse and Fialko were involved. Kruse and Fialko invested seven figures into rebuilding Priscilla's brand, stabilizing her finances, settling her lawsuits, cleaning up numerous private family ordeals, and attempting to help Priscilla repair her relationship with her daughter. Priscilla has, in turn, smeared Kruse and Fialko with false lies and malicious campaigns.' Variety has reached out to a legal representative for Presley for comment about the new lawsuit. Presley's lawsuit against Kruse and Fialko alleges that they fraudulently induced her to sign contracts so they could receive 80% of her income. 'They convinced Presley that all of her former advisors were either deceitful or incompetent, and that she was leaving millions of dollars on the table as the result of their mismanagement,' the complaint reads. '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.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in August 2025 What's Coming to Netflix in August 2025
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Broke' Priscilla Presley Accused of ‘Burning Through' Millions With ‘Lavish Lifestyle' in New Lawsuit
Priscilla Presley has been slammed with a $50 million lawsuit accusing her of fraud, overspending, 'flaunting' a false 'persona' to garner public favor and even pulling the plug on her own daughter against her wishes. On Wednesday, August 13, Priscilla's ex business associates, Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko, submitted a court filing that claimed she did 'anything she could to control her image.' '[She] ultimately wanted one thing, power, no matter the cost,' the lawsuit — obtained by the National Enquirer — reads. 'Despite her doting public persona, Priscilla had an obsession with being known, like Elvis [Presley],' the legal filing continues. 'She led a lavish lifestyle, ultimately burning through the $6.5 million she was able to extricate from the estate, despite Elvis' wishes in their divorce that she not use his name.' While Priscilla, 80, allegedly continued to live her 'fast-paced glamorous life,' she reportedly 'owed $700,00 to the IRS and was broke' by 2021. In 2022, Kruse and Fialko's lawsuit alleged that they both 'worked feverishly to maximize the value of Priscilla's name' to the detriment of their own businesses which 'suffered financially' during that time. Around the time of the Golden Globes in January 2023, Priscilla's daughter, Lisa Marie, was allegedly 'noticeably' becoming 'ill' and had been 'complaining' to her mother about her health issues. The lawsuit claims Priscilla ignored the 'warning signs.' On January 12, Lisa Marie 'suffered cardiac arrest' and was transported to West Hills Hospital in L.A. County. 'Priscilla, who knew that Lisa was in the process of taking steps to remove her as the sole trustee of Lisa's irrevocable life insurance trust, saw an opportunity to regain control,' the court documents allege. 'Despite Lisa's clear directive to 'prolong her life,' Priscilla pulled the plug within hours of Lisa being admitted, and before her granddaughter, Riley [Keough], was able to get to the hospital, demanding that Kruse issue a statement to the media, so she could control the narrative.' Priscilla's attorney, Marty Singer, has since denied the allegations and called the lawsuit 'shameful, ridiculous, salacious and meritless.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Priscilla Presley slams 'shameful and ridiculous' lawsuit
The 80-year-old was sued for fraud and breach of contract on Monday by her former business partners, Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko, who are seeking $50 million in damages. Among the wide range of claims, the partners alleged that Priscilla "pulled the plug" on her daughter Lisa Marie Presley's life support, following her cardiac arrest in January 2023, because she allegedly knew, that Lisa Marie was preparing to remove her as a sole trustee of her life insurance trust. In response to the bombshell lawsuit, Priscilla's attorney Marty Singer said in a statement...
Washington Post
3 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Priscilla Presley's ex-business partners sue her for more than $50 million, alleging fraud
Priscilla Presley's former business partners have filed a lawsuit seeking more than $50 million in damages, alleging fraud and breach of contract. Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko filed the lawsuit Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court. Among many other allegations, they say Presley used them to financially exploit her name, image and likeness, hiding the fact that she had sold those rights decades earlier. The lawsuit comes just over a year after Presley, the 80-year-old former wife of Elvis Presley , sued Kruse and Fialko, alleging they engaged in elder abuse in a 'meticulously planned and abhorrent scheme' 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.' Kruse and Fialko's lawyer, Jordan Matthews, said in a statement Wednesday that the 'evidence will establish that the real victims here are my clients, who invested millions and years of hard work into revitalizing Priscilla Presley's brand, only to be betrayed and falsely accused once the money was on the table and every personal and business issue had been resolved.' An email seeking comment from Presley's lawyer was not immediately answered. Kruse and Fialko's lawsuit says Kruse is a well-known auctioneer and Fialko a successful entrepreneur, both of whom dealt in Elvis Presley memorabilia. The duo previously sued Priscilla Presley in Florida. They say she approached them in 2021 looking for help to save her from financial ruin, which they spent thousands of hours working to do. 'Kruse and Fialko deployed IP, know-how and creative marketing to enhance Priscilla's brand,' the lawsuit said, and formed several companies to exploit her name, image and likeness. But they say as this was happening, Presley hid from them that she had sold the rights to license her name as part of a $6.5 million deal with Elvis Presley Enterprises in 2005. The lawsuit says that when confronted about the previous agreement, Presley repeatedly denied making it, and later said she had forgotten about it when confronted with evidence of it. The lawsuit also alleges Presley sought to take advantage of the 2023 death of her daughter and Elvis Presley's heir, Lisa Marie Presley , to aggrandize herself and regain a stake in the Elvis' estate. Priscilla and Elvis Presley were married from 1967 to 1973, divorcing four years before the death of the rock 'n' roll legend. Kruse and Fialko say they brokered a 2023 deal to end a legal fight over the estate between Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie Presley's daughter, actor Riley Keough , getting Priscilla Presley $2.4 million. But the lawsuit says she cut them off in violation of contracts soon after, publicly smeared them and later sued them. Priscilla Presley's lawsuit says that Kruse and Fialko fraudulently convinced her they were essential to her recovering financially, and that her former trusted advisers had been cheating her. It said they compelled her to take part in sham companies, lost control of her name, image and likeness, and forced her into 'a form of indentured servitude.' '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,' the lawsuit said. Priscilla became a major public figure when she was a teenager because of her relationship with one of the world's most famous men. She never left the public eye, but she has regained a special prominence in recent years through Baz Luhrmann's 2022 film 'Elvis' and Sofia Coppola's 2023 film 'Priscilla,' based on her memoir. She is also an actor who starred in the original 'Naked Gun' franchise in the 1980s and 1990s, and she had a cameo in the new reboot.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Priscilla Presley's ex-business partners sue her for more than $50 million, alleging fraud
Priscilla Presley's former business partners have filed a lawsuit seeking more than $50 million in damages, alleging fraud and breach of contract. Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko filed the lawsuit Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court. Among many other allegations, they say Presley used them to financially exploit her name, image and likeness, hiding the fact that she had sold those rights decades earlier. The lawsuit comes just over a year after Presley, the 80-year-old former wife of Elvis Presley, sued Kruse and Fialko, alleging they engaged in elder abuse in a 'meticulously planned and abhorrent scheme' 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.' Kruse and Fialko's lawyer, Jordan Matthews, said in a statement Wednesday that the 'evidence will establish that the real victims here are my clients, who invested millions and years of hard work into revitalizing Priscilla Presley's brand, only to be betrayed and falsely accused once the money was on the table and every personal and business issue had been resolved.' An email seeking comment from Presley's lawyer was not immediately answered. Kruse and Fialko's lawsuit says Kruse is a well-known auctioneer and Fialko a successful entrepreneur, both of whom dealt in Elvis Presley memorabilia. The duo previously sued Priscilla Presley in Florida. They say she approached them in 2021 looking for help to save her from financial ruin, which they spent thousands of hours working to do. 'Kruse and Fialko deployed IP, know-how and creative marketing to enhance Priscilla's brand,' the lawsuit said, and formed several companies to exploit her name, image and likeness. But they say as this was happening, Presley hid from them that she had sold the rights to license her name as part of a $6.5 million deal with Elvis Presley Enterprises in 2005. The lawsuit says that when confronted about the previous agreement, Presley repeatedly denied making it, and later said she had forgotten about it when confronted with evidence of it. The lawsuit also alleges Presley sought to take advantage of the 2023 death of her daughter and Elvis Presley's heir, Lisa Marie Presley, to aggrandize herself and regain a stake in the Elvis' estate. Priscilla and Elvis Presley were married from 1967 to 1973, divorcing four years before the death of the rock 'n' roll legend. Kruse and Fialko say they brokered a 2023 deal to end a legal fight over the estate between Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie Presley's daughter, actor Riley Keough, getting Priscilla Presley $2.4 million. But the lawsuit says she cut them off in violation of contracts soon after, publicly smeared them and later sued them. Priscilla Presley's lawsuit says that Kruse and Fialko fraudulently convinced her they were essential to her recovering financially, and that her former trusted advisers had been cheating her. It said they compelled her to take part in sham companies, lost control of her name, image and likeness, and forced her into 'a form of indentured servitude.' '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," the lawsuit said. Priscilla became a major public figure when she was a teenager because of her relationship with one of the world's most famous men. She never left the public eye, but she has regained a special prominence in recent years through Baz Luhrmann's 2022 film 'Elvis' and Sofia Coppola's 2023 film 'Priscilla,' based on her memoir. She is also an actor who starred in the original 'Naked Gun' franchise in the 1980s and 1990s, and she had a cameo in the new reboot. Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press
