Priscilla Presley's lawyer defends suing business associates who allegedly duped actress out of $1M
Priscilla Presley's lawyer defended filing a lawsuit against the actress' former business associates.
Elvis Presley's ex-wife accused four ex-business associates of "meticulously planned" financial abuse, claiming she had been duped out of $1 million by the individuals.
"Contrary to the false statement that Priscilla’s lawsuit against Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko was ‘retaliatory,’ the fact is that when Priscilla uncovered their unlawful scheme against her nearly a year ago, Priscilla made claims against them for the substantial monies they had wrongfully funneled to themselves," Presley's lawyer, Martin Singer, told Fox News Digital in a statement. "At that time, Priscilla also revoked any purported authority they professed to have to act on her behalf."
"Several months later Kruse and Fialko reacted by filing their specious defensive lawsuit against Priscilla in the name of sham companies they set up, outlandishly claiming a right to more than 80% of her income in perpetuity," the statement continued. "It is ironic that they are attempting to characterize themselves as the victims since, as Priscilla alleges in her lawsuit, they made Priscilla a victim of their unscrupulous financial elder abuse when they fraudulently induced her to sign sham agreements for their own financial benefit so they could reap 80% of her income forever. We look forward to the court holding defendants fully accountable for their outrageous wrongdoing."
Presley accused four ex-business associates of financial elder abuse in a lawsuit filed July 18.
Presley, 79, named Kruse, Fialko, Vahe Sislyan and Lynn Walker Wright in the paperwork filed and obtained by Fox News Digital. The actress claimed she was tricked into signing contracts handing over 80% of her income and has lost over $1 million. Presley sued for financial elder abuse, fraud in the inducement, breach of fiduciary duty and legal malpractice.
Representatives for Kruse slammed Presley's lawsuit as "retaliatory" in a statement shared on July 22.
"The suit filed is a retaliatory lawsuit due to the one filed by Priscilla’s business partners last year," the statement read, according to People magazine. "We are confident that the facts will speak for themselves and justice will prevail."
"It saddens all of us who dropped our lives to provide aid to a woman who needed help and she is now attempting to use her celebrity status to ruin the lives of kind, hardworking people," the statement continued. They further expressed gratitude to those who supported them "during this difficult time."
"We will continue to focus on our business and look forward to our day in court. The truth will come out by way of evidence and not rumors. There will be no further comment at this time as we respect the judicial process," the statement concluded.
Fox News Digital has reached out to a representative for comment.
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In the lawsuit, Presley's lawyer claimed that the former associates had planned to force the actress into "indentured servitude," where they would receive the "lion’s share" of any future revenue earned.
"This action arises out of a meticulously planned and abhorrent scheme by the Defendants in this action 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," the court documents read.
The relationship between Kruse, Fialko, Sislyan, Walker and Presley began two years ago, according to the court documents. Presley allegedly met Kruse, who ran an Elvis Presley memorabilia shop, in 2021.
According to Singer, the group convinced Presley that her former business advisors were "deceitful or incompetent" and that she was losing out on millions.
"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 court docs stated.
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The "Dallas" actress is now asking for a trial by jury and no less than $1 million, plus her attorney's fees.
Presley also requested special damages and punitive damages along with preliminary and permanent injunctive relief.
Kruse and associates previously sued Presley in Florida for breach of contract.