Latest Update — As of July 12, 2026, no new developments have emerged in the Priscilla Presley legal battle since the case’s last confirmed milestone: the February 2026 dismissal, without prejudice, of the Beverly Hills lawsuit over Priscilla’s alleged undisclosed jewelry collection. That dismissal did not resolve the broader dispute — Kruse and Fialko’s fraud and breach-of-contract cross-claims, along with Priscilla’s elder abuse lawsuit, remain consolidated and active before Judge Mark H. Epstein in Los Angeles Superior Court. No trial date has been publicly set.
Last updated: July 2026
The Priscilla Presley lawsuit is one of the most explosive legal disputes in entertainment history. Elvis’s ex-wife sued her former business partners for elder financial abuse in July 2024, alleging they drained her finances and took control of her name and identity. Then those same partners fired back with a $50 million counterclaim of their own, accusing Priscilla of fraud, breach of contract, and making a shocking allegation about her daughter Lisa Marie’s death.
This is not a simple celebrity spat. It involves trust documents, intellectual property rights, power of attorney, a disputed $6.5 million name rights sale, and the future of the Elvis Presley legacy.
What you’ll learn here: every lawsuit filed, what each side claims, who the key players are, what happened to the Graceland estate, and where all of this stands as of early 2026.
One surprising fact to note: Priscilla allegedly sold the commercial rights to her own name back in 2005 for $6.5 million, and the counterclaimants say she never disclosed that to them.
Priscilla Presley Lawsuit: What Is This Legal Battle Actually About?
The Priscilla Presley lawsuit is a multi-front legal war between Priscilla and her former business partners over money, intellectual property, and control of her public identity.
Priscilla Presley filed a lawsuit on July 18, 2024, with the Los Angeles Superior Court in which she alleges that her former business partners committed elder financial abuse against her.
But the dispute did not begin with that filing. It started years earlier when Priscilla entered a business relationship with memorabilia auctioneer Brigitte Kruse and investor Kevin Fialko to revive her public profile and monetize her name.
The duo says she approached them in 2021 looking for help to save her from financial ruin, which they spent thousands of hours working to do.
Those same partners later sued Priscilla for over $50 million, accusing her of using them and then walking away. The two sides now have completely opposite accounts of the same business relationship.
| Case Summary | Details |
|---|---|
| Priscilla’s lawsuit filed | July 18, 2024, Los Angeles Superior Court |
| Priscilla’s claim | Elder financial abuse, fraud, unconscionable contracts |
| Counterclaim filed | August 11, 2025, LA County Superior Court |
| Counterclaim amount | Over $50 million |
| Counterclaim charges | Fraud, breach of contract, IRS concealment |
| Current court | Judge Mark H. Epstein, Los Angeles Superior Court |
Priscilla Presley Elder Abuse Lawsuit: What She Claims Happened
Priscilla’s elder abuse lawsuit alleges she was specifically targeted because of her age, her vulnerability after Lisa Marie’s death, and her deteriorating financial situation.
Priscilla alleged the pair 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.”
According to the lawsuit, the isolation was intentional and systematic. Kruse and Fialko allegedly convinced Priscilla that her existing advisors were either incompetent or dishonest, which cut her off from people who might have protected her.
Priscilla’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.
The result, she claims, was that she ended up in agreements that gave her very little control and almost no income from her own identity.
- Contracts gave Kruse a controlling 51% interest in Priscilla’s intellectual property in perpetuity
- A separate deal gave Priscilla only a 20% share in a related venture
- Kruse and Fialko allegedly obtained power of attorney and control of her bank accounts
- Priscilla claims she did not receive her $500,000 from the Sofia Coppola film “Priscilla”
- She also says they withheld her $349,900 from a cosmetics deal
Priscilla Presley Financial Abuse Lawsuit: What the Law Requires
California elder financial abuse law is specific about what a plaintiff has to prove. Understanding the legal standard helps explain why this case is being fought so hard.
Under California’s Welfare and Institutions Code Section 15610.30, financial abuse of an elder occurs when someone takes, conceals, or assists in taking the property of a person over age 65 for a wrongful use or with undue influence.
California courts examine whether the alleged abuser took advantage of the elder’s trust, physical condition, or emotional state to obtain financial control that the elder would not have agreed to under normal circumstances.
Priscilla is 80 years old. Her lawsuit leans heavily on the vulnerability standard, arguing she was in a weakened state after Lisa Marie’s death in January 2023 when key contract decisions were made.
The defense counters that the contracts were signed voluntarily.
Kruse and Fialko presented video footage showing Priscilla signing the disputed contracts at Kruse’s home with legal counsel present, which they argue proves she understood the terms.
Key Takeaway: California elder financial abuse claims hinge on vulnerability, isolation, and undue influence. Priscilla’s case is built on all three, but the defense has documented video evidence of her signing the deals with a lawyer in the room.
Priscilla Presley vs. Brigitte Kruse: How This Fight Started
Brigitte Kruse is a memorabilia auctioneer based in Agoura Hills, California, and the founder of GWS Auctions Inc. She is the central figure on the opposing side of this lawsuit.
Kruse and Fialko deployed intellectual property, know-how, and creative marketing to enhance Priscilla’s brand, and formed several companies to exploit her name, image, and likeness.
By Kruse’s account, she rescued Priscilla from serious financial trouble, spent thousands of hours rebuilding her brand, and was cut off the moment the financial picture improved. By Priscilla’s account, Kruse systematically took over her life.
Priscilla further alleged Kruse and Fialko “attempted to obtain an invitation to the premiere of Priscilla at the Venice Film Festival” even though they had absolutely nothing to do with the film.
The Coppola film incident is telling. Priscilla says she negotiated that deal entirely on her own before Kruse was involved. Yet the complaint says they never paid her the $500,000 she earned from it.
| Brigitte Kruse Background | Details |
|---|---|
| Profession | Memorabilia auctioneer |
| Company | GWS Auctions Inc., Agoura Hills CA |
| Role in Priscilla’s life | Business partner from approximately 2021 |
| Stake in PPP | 51% controlling interest |
| Attorney | Jordan Matthews, Holtz Matthews LLP |
Priscilla Presley and Kevin Fialko: The Investor in the Middle
Kevin Fialko is an entrepreneur and Elvis memorabilia collector who co-founded Priscilla Presley Partners alongside Brigitte Kruse.
Fialko is described in the lawsuit as a successful entrepreneur who dealt in Elvis Presley memorabilia, and both he and Kruse say they invested millions of dollars and years of work in revitalizing Priscilla Presley’s brand.
Fialko is named as a co-plaintiff in both the Florida breach of contract case and the August 2025 California fraud lawsuit against Priscilla.
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.
That $2.4 million settlement was a genuine financial win for Priscilla. The question is whether the work of securing it entitled Kruse and Fialko to the contracts they held, and whether Priscilla was in a state to understand what she was signing.
- Fialko and Kruse previously sued Priscilla first in Florida in 2023 for breach of contract
- That Florida case was put on hold by a judge who said Priscilla’s elder abuse claims should take precedence
- Both cases are now consolidated before Judge Epstein in Los Angeles
Priscilla Presley Partners: The Business at the Heart of the Dispute
Priscilla Presley Partners, known as PPP, is the Florida-based company formed by Kruse, Fialko, and Priscilla to capitalize on her name and public image. It is the entity that most of these contracts ran through.
A partnership business was formed called Priscilla Presley Partners. Kruse owned a 51 percent stake in that business, Priscilla owned the other 49 percent. The partnership was used to manage and capitalize on name, image, and likeness.
That ownership split is one of the most disputed facts in the case. Priscilla says she was manipulated into accepting a minority position in a company built entirely around her own identity. Kruse says that arrangement was the price of her investment and services.
Kruse contends that Priscilla undermined the partnership and breached their contract by suddenly ending all ties between the parties in the Summer of 2023.
The partnership’s Florida base also created a procedural fight. Priscilla argued California courts had jurisdiction because that’s where she lives and where the alleged abuse occurred. A California judge agreed.
Key Takeaway: Priscilla Presley Partners was structured to give Kruse majority control of Priscilla’s own identity, which forms the core of why Priscilla says the contracts were unconscionable from the start.
The Priscilla Presley Name, Image, and Likeness Lawsuit
The name, image, and likeness dispute is the financial engine driving this entire legal conflict. It’s about who legally owns the right to profit from the name “Priscilla Presley.”
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, Presley later claimed she had forgotten about the deal.
If true, that hidden 2005 sale means Kruse and Fialko spent millions building a brand around rights Priscilla no longer fully owned. That would fundamentally undercut her contracts with them.
Priscilla’s side denies the concealment was intentional. Her lawsuit argues the contracts Kruse drafted were so one-sided they were unenforceable regardless of what rights she had.
Priscilla’s legal team argued the agreements were so one-sided as to be “egregious” and “unconscionable” and therefore unenforceable.
| NIL Contract Terms | Details |
|---|---|
| Kruse’s stake in Priscilla’s IP | 51% controlling interest, in perpetuity |
| Priscilla’s share in separate venture | 20% only |
| Priscilla’s control over work agreements | Required Kruse’s permission before accepting employment |
| 2005 prior rights sale | $6.5 million to Elvis Presley Enterprises |
| Priscilla’s claim about that sale | Says she did not disclose it intentionally |
The $50 Million Lawsuit Filed Against Priscilla Presley
The $50 million lawsuit is the counterclaim filed by Kruse and Fialko against Priscilla on August 11, 2025, in Los Angeles County Superior Court. It came roughly one year after Priscilla sued them.
On Monday, memorabilia dealer Brigitte Kruse and investor Kevin Fialko filed a fraud and breach of contract complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court, expanding on earlier claims while introducing a sensational accusation: that Presley played a role in hastening the death of her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, in January 2023 for financial gain.
The $50 million figure covers alleged lost profits, unpaid compensation, and damages for what they say was deliberate sabotage of their business ventures.
Kruse and Fialko, who were once the heads of Priscilla Presley Partners, say in the suit they had been collaborating with Priscilla Presley to maximize her name, image, and likeness. But once they improved her financial standing, she “abruptly cut ties” with them and denied them brand opportunities related to the movie “Priscilla” and other projects.
Priscilla’s attorney Marty Singer called the lawsuit “one of the most shameful, ridiculous, salacious, and meritless lawsuits” he had ever seen in his practice.
The Lisa Marie Death Allegations: What the Lawsuit Claims
The Lisa Marie death allegations are the most explosive claims in the entire Priscilla Presley lawsuit saga. They are also the most contested.
Kruse and Fialko allege that when Lisa Marie was hospitalized in January 2023 for a small bowel obstruction, a complication from prior weight loss surgery, Priscilla overrode her daughter’s documented wishes for continued life support. They point to Lisa Marie’s advanced health care directive, in which she had marked her initials and two exclamation points next to a clause requesting her life be prolonged “as long as possible within the limits of generally accepted healthcare standards.”
The lawsuit claims Priscilla acted not out of grief but out of financial self-interest.
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.
Priscilla’s attorney responded with fury.
Marty Singer called the lawsuit “a sad and vicious attempt to falsely tarnish the reputation of an eighty-year-old woman.” “Accusing a grieving mother of contributing to her daughter’s death is not savvy advocacy; it is malicious character assassination, and should be broadly condemned,” Singer said.
Key Takeaway: The Lisa Marie death allegations are the most sensational claims in this dispute, but Priscilla’s legal team has called them fabricated, and no criminal investigation has been reported in connection with these civil court claims.
The Breach of Contract Claims: What Kruse and Fialko Say They’re Owed
The breach of contract claims are the financial backbone of what Kruse and Fialko are pursuing. Strip out the Lisa Marie allegations and you still have a serious business dispute.
The lawsuit says that Kruse and Fialko brokered a deal to end a legal fight over the estate between Priscilla Presley and 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.
They argue they delivered real results. They got her $2.4 million in the estate settlement, connected her to brand deals, and spent years rebuilding her commercial identity. When the work was done, they say, she vanished.
The complaint contends 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.
The breach of contract claims do not require proof of elder abuse or any malice. They require showing valid contracts existed, services were rendered, and those contracts were violated. The defense says the video evidence of Priscilla signing with a lawyer present is their strongest card.
| Breach of Contract Claims | Amount/Details |
|---|---|
| $2.4M estate settlement brokered for Priscilla | Unpaid commissions claimed |
| Sofia Coppola “Priscilla” film deal income | Allegedly withheld from Priscilla |
| “Cilla” cosmetics deal fee ($349,900) | Allegedly withheld from Priscilla |
| Brand development investment | “Seven figures” per their attorney |
| Total damages sought | Over $50 million |
Keya Morgan and the Priscilla Presley Lawsuit: Who Is He?
Keya Morgan is a peripheral but significant figure in this lawsuit. He’s the former manager of the late Stan Lee, and he’s named as a co-defendant in the counterclaim.
Following the settlement brokered by Kruse and Fialko, Priscilla was allegedly contacted by Keya Morgan, Stan Lee’s former business manager who was accused and later acquitted on charges of elder abuse against the comic book legend. He claimed in discussions with Kruse and Fialko that he could get her name, image and likeness rights back from Elvis Presley Enterprises.
Morgan’s history with the Stan Lee elder abuse case makes his involvement here significant. He was accused of isolating Stan Lee from family and taking control of his affairs before being acquitted. Kruse and Fialko allege Morgan then inserted himself into Priscilla’s situation and encouraged her to file elder abuse claims against them.
The complaint 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.
Morgan denied the allegations. In a statement, he called Priscilla “an incredible human being and a true legend” and said the allegations against him were “malicious lies.”
Graceland and the Priscilla Presley Lawsuit: What’s Actually at Stake
Graceland is not directly the subject of these lawsuits. But its value and control runs through every argument being made.
Priscilla, who co-founded Elvis Presley Enterprises in 1982 and turned Graceland into a $20 million annual tourist attraction, now protects her slice of the pie, roughly 15% of the estate, amid threats that could force asset sales or royalty rewrites.
The lawsuits touch Graceland indirectly through the Promenade Trust. Lisa Marie established the trust after receiving her inheritance in 1993. When Lisa Marie died, control of the trust transferred.
“Priscilla ultimately wanted to control the Promenade Trust and Graceland,” the lawsuit states. Lisa Marie was the sole heir to her father’s estate, including his Graceland mansion. Her daughter Riley Keough then became the sole trustee of Lisa Marie’s estate in August 2023 after settling a legal battle with Priscilla.
Priscilla’s challenge to that trust arrangement was dismissed. Riley Keough now controls Graceland. The financial stakes of these lawsuits still affect what Priscilla can earn from the Elvis brand going forward.
Key Takeaway: Graceland itself is not on trial, but the financial flows connected to Elvis’s legacy, his trusts, and his intellectual property licensing are all directly affected by the outcome of these cases.
Priscilla Presley Lawsuit 2024: How It All Began
The 2024 filing was Priscilla’s opening legal move after years of tension and one prior lawsuit filed against her.
In July 2024, Priscilla filed her own lawsuit in California, accusing Kruse and Fialko of financial elder abuse. She alleged they manipulated her into signing contracts that gave Kruse a 51 percent controlling interest in her intellectual property in perpetuity, and another deal limiting her to only a 20% stake in a separate venture.
The July 2024 filing came roughly a year after Kruse filed the first breach of contract lawsuit against Priscilla in Florida in 2023.
Five months after Priscilla settled with Keough, she was hit with the first breach-of-contract lawsuit over the Kruse and Fialko partnership. She quickly sought to dismiss the complaint. Then last summer, she filed her bombshell claims of financial elder abuse.
The sequence matters. Priscilla’s elder abuse claim came after she had already been sued. The defense used that timing to argue her lawsuit was retaliatory rather than genuine.
| 2024 Timeline | Event |
|---|---|
| January 2023 | Lisa Marie Presley dies |
| August 2023 | Riley Keough becomes sole trustee, Priscilla settles estate dispute |
| 2023 | Kruse files first breach of contract lawsuit in Florida |
| July 18, 2024 | Priscilla files elder abuse lawsuit in Los Angeles |
| 2024 | Florida court puts Kruse’s case on hold pending California proceedings |
Priscilla Presley Lawsuit 2025: The Escalation
The year 2025 transformed this dispute from a business fight into a media firestorm.
In a ruling issued in April 2025, Judge Mark H. Epstein shot down the argument by Kruse and Fialko that Priscilla’s elder abuse claims should be placed on hold while they pursued a separate breach of contract lawsuit against Priscilla in Florida.
That ruling was a meaningful win for Priscilla. It kept her elder abuse case alive and moving in California.
In 2025, two of Priscilla Presley’s former business partners, Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko, filed a $50 million lawsuit against her. The lawsuit claimed Priscilla “pulled the plug” on daughter Lisa Marie Presley in order to regain control of the family trust.
The August 2025 $50 million filing is what pushed this case into global headlines. The Lisa Marie death allegations generated immediate international coverage and furious denials from Priscilla’s legal team.
Separately, an amended complaint filed in December 2025 added further controversial claims about Riley Keough and other family members, which Priscilla’s attorney publicly slammed as “malicious character assassination.”
Priscilla Presley Lawsuit Update 2026: Where Things Stand Now
As of early 2026, the Priscilla Presley lawsuit is actively proceeding before Judge Epstein in Los Angeles.
After a judge dismissed one of the lawsuits, Matthews noted that Kruse and Fialko are still very much pursuing their litigation. “The dismissal of merely one of the lawsuits at issue was nothing more than a procedural step that the parties agreed to,” he said. “The parties simply agreed to consolidate certain claims, and our clients are pursuing their cross-claims against Priscilla Presley and various other parties in a matter now proceeding before Judge Epstein.”
Both sides are clearly preparing for trial. Kruse and Fialko changed legal teams at least four times during the proceedings, per reporting from The Hollywood Reporter, suggesting significant internal turbulence.
It is also evident that Kruse, Fialko, and their new attorneys are not happy with the rulings this past year by the judge handling the existing case against them, evidenced by attempts to move the case to a different judge.
Priscilla’s elder abuse claims remain the lead case before Judge Epstein. The cross-claims from Kruse and Fialko are running concurrently. No trial date has been publicly announced as of March 2026.
| 2026 Status | Details |
|---|---|
| Lead case | Priscilla’s elder abuse claims, before Judge Epstein |
| Beverly Hills secondary case | Dropped February 2026, without prejudice |
| Cross-claims by Kruse and Fialko | Consolidated and still active |
| Trial date | Not yet announced as of March 2026 |
| Kruse/Fialko attorney team | Fourth set of attorneys per THR reporting |
Priscilla Presley Lawsuit Dismissed: What the February 2026 Ruling Means
A lawsuit was dismissed in February 2026. But that dismissal is not as final as it sounds.
A lawsuit filed by former business partners of Priscilla Presley alleging she hid a multimillion-dollar jewelry collection worth about $25 million was dropped. Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko, whose attorneys filed court papers with Judge Edward Moreton Jr., asked that the case be dismissed without prejudice, meaning it can be refiled later. The court papers do not state if a settlement was reached or if the pair are not pursuing the case for other reasons.
“Dismissed without prejudice” is not a win for either side. It simply means the Beverly Hills jewelry case was pulled from that particular court. It does not prevent Kruse and Fialko from bringing those same claims in another proceeding.
Kruse and Fialko are not giving up on their claims against Presley. The attorney representing them said they still plan to pursue the lawsuit.
Think of it like a chess player removing a piece from one side of the board and placing it somewhere else. The game is still going. The Beverly Hills dismissal is a procedural consolidation, not a surrender.
Key Takeaway: The February 2026 Beverly Hills dismissal was a procedural consolidation move, not a final victory for Priscilla. All the core claims remain live before Judge Epstein in Los Angeles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Priscilla Presley elder abuse lawsuit about?
Priscilla Presley filed her elder abuse lawsuit in July 2024, alleging that former business partners Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko manipulated her into signing contracts that gave them majority control over her name, image, and likeness.
She says they isolated her from trusted advisors, took over her finances, and withheld money she earned from legitimate deals including the Sofia Coppola film “Priscilla.”
The case is proceeding before Judge Mark H. Epstein in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Who is suing Priscilla Presley for $50 million?
Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko, Priscilla’s former business partners and co-founders of Priscilla Presley Partners, filed a $50 million fraud and breach of contract lawsuit against her on August 11, 2025.
They allege Priscilla used their services to rebuild her brand and finances, then walked away in violation of their contracts once her financial position improved.
The lawsuit also names Keya Morgan, former manager of Stan Lee, as a co-defendant.
What did Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko claim about Lisa Marie Presley’s death?
Kruse and Fialko alleged in their August 2025 lawsuit that Priscilla discontinued Lisa Marie’s life support within hours of her hospitalization in January 2023, against Lisa Marie’s documented wishes.
They claim Priscilla was motivated by a desire to gain control of Lisa Marie’s Promenade Trust and prevent her own removal as sole trustee.
Priscilla’s attorney called these allegations “malicious character assassination” and said they have “absolutely no validity.”
Was the Priscilla Presley lawsuit dismissed?
A secondary lawsuit filed in Beverly Hills by Kruse and Fialko, concerning allegations that Priscilla hid a $25 million jewelry collection from the IRS, was dismissed without prejudice in February 2026.
“Without prejudice” means the claims can be refiled, and the attorneys for Kruse and Fialko confirmed they are still pursuing all claims in the consolidated case before Judge Epstein.
Priscilla’s core elder abuse lawsuit remains active and has not been dismissed.
What is Priscilla Presley’s connection to the Elvis Presley Graceland estate?
Priscilla co-founded Elvis Presley Enterprises in 1982 and helped transform Graceland into a major tourist destination generating approximately $20 million annually.
She holds roughly a 15% stake in the broader Elvis estate but is no longer a trustee of the Promenade Trust, which is now controlled by Riley Keough, Lisa Marie’s daughter.
The lawsuits with Kruse and Fialko do not directly involve Graceland but affect what Priscilla can earn from Elvis-related licensing and brand deals going forward.
Where This Case Goes Next
This legal battle is still very much alive. Priscilla’s elder abuse claims are the lead case before Judge Epstein, and Kruse and Fialko’s consolidated cross-claims are right behind them.
No trial date has been set publicly as of early 2026. Both sides are litigating aggressively, and neither has shown any sign of settling quietly.
Stay current with the Los Angeles Superior Court proceedings. The evidence phase is coming. When it arrives, the contract documents, bank records, and video footage will tell a story that neither side can fully control.
