Concerns have been raised by those close to Priscilla Presley about potential signs of cognitive decline in the 79-year-old amid speculation that she unknowingly fell victim to financial exploitation targeted at the elderly, a new report has claimed.
According to a recent legal filing, Elvis Presley's former wife, whose net worth amounts to $50 million, alleged that Brigitte Kruse, an auctioneer specializing in memorabilia, along with her associates, deceived her through flattery before swindling her out of $1 million.
After her lawyer Martin Singer filed the lawsuit, an anonymous insider told Globe magazine that Priscilla's friends are worried that she "left herself open to being misled and betrayed." Music Times could not independently verify this information.
"They wonder: 'Did she just have an isolated lapse of judgment? Or is this part of a larger problem of cognitive decline?'" the Graceland insider claimed.
Priscilla's lawsuit alleged that Kruse "[preyed] 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 allegedly manipulated Priscilla into signing contracts that allocated 80% of her earnings to Kruse and her associates, the suit claimed.
According to the court documents, the entrepreneur allegedly inserted herself into Priscilla's world in 2021 by inundating her with several daily text messages professing adoration and admiration for her.
Kruse and her associates' alleged manipulation led Priscilla to believe that her previous advisers were untrustworthy or inept as they allegedly fabricated justifications for substantial withdrawals from Priscilla's bank accounts.
Aside from the withdrawals, Priscilla also made allegations against them for imposing unjust fees, transferring her accounts to their institutions, and making her cover the mortgage of a property belonging to Kruse's partner.
Meanwhile, Kruse took legal action against Priscilla in September 2021 by filing a breach of contract lawsuit against her, claiming she ceased all communication abruptly after the establishment Priscilla Presley Partners.
The legal battle further unfolded between Kruse and Priscilla, with the former accusing the latter of being on the brink of financial ruin with close to $700,000 in overdue taxes.
In response, Priscilla labeled Kruse's legal actions as retaliatory.
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