An amended fraud and breach-of-contract complaint filed by former business partners Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko alleges that Priscilla Presley placed a lien on Graceland in the months before Elvis Presley’s death in 1977 and that the move "pushed" the singer to his demise.
The updated lawsuit, first reported by the Daily Mail, portrays Priscilla Presley as instrumental in efforts to gain control of the estate and describes her as "a pit viper willing to prey on her own family," according to excerpts from the filing. It further accuses her of using the lien to "strong-arm" Vernon Presley, whom the complaint characterizes as "weak" and "on his 'death bed' at the time," into naming her a co-executor of the Graceland estate.
The suit was brought by Kruse and Fialko, who were formerly business partners with Presley, and has been amended to include the more detailed allegations. The filing asserts that Presley’s legal maneuvers shortly before Elvis Presley’s death were part of a broader pattern of misconduct relating to the management and control of Graceland.
Priscilla Presley’s attorney, Marty Singer, dismissed the accusations as baseless and likened them to conspiracy theories. In a statement obtained by the Daily Mail, Singer called the claims "absurd" and "ridiculous," saying, "Priscilla did not have anything to do with the assassination of JFK, she did not cover up Area 51, she did not fake the moon landing, and she is not secretly keeping Bigfoot locked in a cabin in Canada. Take off the aluminum foil hat and face reality."
The amended complaint adds to an ongoing dispute between Presley and her former associates over alleged breaches of contract and conduct tied to the business affairs surrounding Graceland. The filing seeks to support the plaintiffs’ claims that actions they attribute to Presley harmed their business interests and improperly affected control of Elvis Presley’s estate.
Representatives for Kruse and Fialko did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment. The court docket and any forthcoming hearings were not detailed in the amended complaint as reported. The developments come decades after Elvis Presley’s death and follow numerous legal and personal disputes over the management and legacy of the singer’s estate.
Priscilla Presley, a former wife of Elvis Presley, has continued to be a public figure and custodian of aspects of his legacy. Her lawyer’s forceful rebuttal underscores the sharply contested nature of the allegations as the lawsuit proceeds.