$50 Million Lawsuit Rocks Presley Dynasty: Did Priscilla ‘Pull the Plug’ on Lisa Marie to Seize Graceland Throne? Or Just a Mother’s Tragic Misstep?

Lisa Marie Presley’s sudden hospitalization and subsequent death shocked fans worldwide.

According to former business partners Bridget Cruz and Kevin Fialo, who have now turned plaintiffs, Priscilla Presley deliberately “pulled the plug” on Lisa Marie’s life support—allegedly against Lisa Marie’s own advance directives that demanded prolonging medical care within reasonable limits.

The plaintiffs argue that this decision was not borne from medical necessity but from a cold calculation to neutralize Lisa Marie’s plans to remove Priscilla as trustee of her life insurance trust—a move that would have diminished Priscilla’s control over the Presley estate and its lucrative assets.

Bridget Cruz, a Florida auctioneer specializing in celebrity memorabilia, and Kevin Fialo, a Tennessee entrepreneur with entertainment industry ties, claim they played a pivotal role in negotiating a 2023 settlement between Priscilla and Riley Keough, Lisa Marie’s daughter and primary heir.

The settlement reportedly awarded Priscilla a $2.4 million payout and a seven-figure deal for her son, Navarone Gabaldi.

But according to Cruz and Fialo, once Priscilla’s financial woes were alleviated, she betrayed their partnership, cutting them out and igniting this explosive lawsuit.

The timeline at the heart of the lawsuit is both detailed and damning.

On January 10, 2023, Lisa Marie Presley appeared at the Golden Globes visibly unwell—pale, unsteady, and complaining of abdominal pain.

Instead of seeking immediate medical help, the suit alleges Priscilla attended a post-event gathering at the luxurious Chateau Marmont, leaving Lisa Marie to make the 50-mile drive home alone.

Two days later, Lisa Marie collapsed from cardiac arrest at her Calabasas home and was rushed to the hospital, where she was placed on life support.

The plaintiffs contend that Priscilla arrived at the hospital and pressured medical staff to withdraw life support prematurely—before Riley Keough could arrive from out of town.

Adding fuel to the fire is a reported post-death statement from Priscilla: “I’m the queen. I’m in charge of Graceland. ”

If true, it paints a chilling picture of a power grab disguised as a mother’s decision.

Priscilla Presley’s legal team vehemently denies these allegations, branding the lawsuit as “shameful, ridiculous, and meritless.”

Marty Singer, a high-profile Hollywood attorney representing Priscilla, calls the claims a retaliatory strike by opportunistic former associates exploiting a grieving mother.

Supporting Priscilla’s defense is an independent coroner’s report from July 2023, which concluded that Lisa Marie died of natural causes—a small bowel obstruction linked to complications from prior bariatric surgery.

The report found no evidence of foul play or coerced medical decisions.

In a twist, Priscilla had already filed a lawsuit in 2024 against Cruz and Fialo, accusing them of financial elder abuse and theft of $1 million, alleging they manipulated her during her vulnerable period after Lisa Marie’s death.

This earlier suit sets the stage for a bitter cross-complaint and further muddies the waters.

The Presley family’s internal dynamics add layers of complexity and intrigue.

Lisa Marie’s death at 54 triggered a high-profile probate battle.

Priscilla contested a 2016 amendment to Lisa Marie’s trust that removed her as co-trustee and named Riley Keough and the late Benjamin Keough—Lisa Marie’s brother who died in 2020—as trustees instead.

The feud spilled into public view, culminating in a May 2023 settlement that gave Riley sole trusteeship over the trust controlling Graceland, Elvis Presley Enterprises, and royalties from Elvis’s catalog.

Priscilla received a lump sum payment and burial rights at Graceland.

Cruz and Fialo claim they invested millions of dollars and thousands of hours reviving Priscilla’s brand and managing her name, image, and likeness rights, only to be cut out after the settlement.

Their lawsuit resurrects old wounds and raises questions: Does Priscilla harbor lingering resentment over lost influence?

Are hidden commercial tensions—over licensing deals or memorabilia auctions—driving this legal onslaught?

Legally, “pulling the plug” is no simple matter.

Life support termination is governed by strict protocols.

Advance directives—legal documents specifying a person’s wishes for end-of-life care—are binding, and if Lisa Marie’s directive indeed favored extending life, the court will demand authenticated copies and proof of Priscilla’s authority as medical proxy.

Absent clear directives, hospitals typically consult next of kin and physicians to decide based on prognosis.

California law, where these events occurred, prioritizes patient autonomy, requiring clear evidence of incapacity before proxies intervene.

Thus, the case hinges on medical records, consent forms, and ethics committee notes.

Any conflicting family input or verbal overrides could result in expert testimony from bioethicists or neurologists.

Graceland itself is more than a historic mansion; it’s the symbolic heart of a billion-dollar legacy.

Purchased by Elvis in 1957 for $100,000, it evolved into a national landmark generating over $10 million annually in tourism revenue.

After Elvis’s death in 1977, Priscilla transformed Graceland from a financial burden into a thriving enterprise, chairing Elvis Presley Enterprises until 2023.

Lisa Marie inherited sole ownership but faced her own financial struggles, including a 2018 lawsuit against her former manager for squandering $100 million.

With Riley Keough now stewarding the estate and Authentic Brands Group acquiring majority stakes in 2023, the Presley empire remains a lucrative yet volatile prize.

The lawsuit’s emotional core revolves around the prelude to Lisa Marie’s death.

Did early symptoms at the Golden Globes—nausea, fatigue—signal the fatal bowel obstruction?

Who truly accompanied her on that perilous drive home?

Were there desperate calls or texts for help at the hospital?

The discovery phase promises a deluge of evidence: ambulance dispatch logs, ER admission timestamps, visitor sign-ins, security camera footage, and even Ring doorbell videos from the Calabasas home.

Any gaps or erased messages could sway jurors, while irrefutable medical affidavits confirming irreversible coma might exonerate Priscilla completely.

Strategically, Priscilla’s team is likely to file motions to dismiss, arguing the suit lacks merit, or invoke anti-SLAPP laws to protect her free speech on family matters.

Yet the real drama will unfold in depositions, where Cruz, Fialo, Riley, and Priscilla will recount events under oath.

Cross-examinations could expose emails plotting business exits or voicemails during Lisa Marie’s hospitalization, turning rumors into admissible facts.

Despite the sensational headlines, the coroner’s report remains a sobering reminder: Lisa Marie died from natural causes related to surgical complications.

No evidence currently supports foul play or coerced medical decisions.

Still, this lawsuit exposes the raw human cost of fame and fortune.

Lisa Marie’s struggles with addiction and loss are not mere tabloid fodder—they are the tragic backdrop to a family saga where grief, power, and money collide.

As the legal battle intensifies through 2025 and potentially into 2026, expect procedural volleys, motions for summary judgment, and a painstaking examination of timelines and motives.

Will a single verified advance directive or an airtight timeline deflate the drama?

Or will this Presley family feud spiral further, airing its dirty laundry for all to see?

Whatever the outcome, one truth remains: beneath the glittering veneer of celebrity lies a deeply human story of love, loss, and the messy complexities of legacy.

In the end, this is no ordinary lawsuit.

It’s a battle for the soul of an empire—and a mother’s love questioned in the court of public opinion.