A judge in the Los Angeles district has on the side of Priscilla Presley placed. He decided that California is the best place of jurisdiction to negotiate her lawsuit for abuse by older people against the group of former business partners who she is said to have cheated by more than $ 1 million. This means that the case can continue with the next hearing in a few weeks.
In a new judgment of Thursday, judge Mark H. Epstein rejected the argument of Florida Memorabilia dealer Brigitte Kruse, Kruse’s husband and investor Kevin Fialko that Presley’s accusations of abuse of older people should be suspended against them. In a separate lawsuit for breaking the contract, they take action against Priscilla Presley in Florida. The defendants had argued that it would be “extremely impractical” to fight Presley’s lawsuit on the west coast. And at the same time to pursue her complaints previously submitted in Florida against Presley.
Epstein had previously rejected the defendant’s claims. California is not responsible for them, he said. He sees the recent legal advance as “another in an apparently endless series of applications to move this case from California to Florida”. And rejected the argument that Florida was the best place of jurisdiction to protect private and public resources. He also rejected the claim that Presley had signed contracts in which he had agreed to negotiate disputes in Florida.
“But that’s the heart of the case in California”
“Basically, this is not a contract -based case, but a fraud,” wrote Epstein in his decision that Rolling Stone is present. “The plaintiff sued these defendants for fraud and abuse of older people. An aspect of allegedly causing them to sign these agreements in the first place.”
Judge Epstein said that Kruse, her husband and Fialko live in Florida and Tennessee. However, Priscilla Presley and her alleged witnesses live in California. He also pointed out that the abuse allegedly took place in California. Which gives the state “a strong public interest in the case”. He accused the defendant not to adequately treat these points in their joint application.
“The defendants almost ignore the allegations of abuse of older people who are not part of the Florida complaint. But that’s the heart of the case in California,” he wrote. “The applicant [Presley] claims that the witnesses of the abuse of older people, the effects on the applicant and the situation of the applicant are here and not in Florida before and after the alleged actions. The applicant also claims that many of the documents relating to the allegation of abuse are also here. The court tends to agree. “
The lawyers of Kruse, her husband, and Fialko did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday. In previous declarations in court, the accused claimed that Presley had willingly made agreements with them to lease a property in Florida. And to deduct the majority of the control of their publicity rights.
In their 45-page advertisement for abuse of older people who last July Presley claimed that after a meeting in 2021, Presley said that it “quickly deepened her life”. Her “often sent several SMS a day. And told her how much she love and admire her”. In Presley’s lawsuit, Kruse is called the “fraudster and pathological liar”, who cheated Presley by more than $ 1 million and “tempted fraudulently” to sign contracts that gained the Kruse and Fialko between 51 and 80 percent of the control over closely connected companies, which have their name, image and image.
“This lawsuit goes back to a carefully planned and hideous plan of the defendant in this lawsuit. She wants to overprint an older woman by wanting to gain her trust. She wants to isolate her from the most important people in her life. And she wants to take care of her – personally and financially. While her actual goal was to take every last cent that she had,” says Martin Singer and T. Wayne Harman filed a lawsuit.
Finances “in the sausage area”
Presley said the defendants had their finances “in the strangle area”. And not only withheld the $ 500,000, which she is filmed with Sofia Coppola’s film adaptation of her biography Elvis and Me had earned. But also the $ 349,900 that she had received in connection with her “Cilla” cosmetic contract. Although Priscilla said you said the contract for Coppola’s film with the title Priscilla negotiated with a previous company. Before Kruse and Fialko were “involved in their matters”, the couple “never paid a cent”.
Priscilla Presley also claimed that Kruse and Fialko had “tried to invite an invitation to the premiere of Priscilla to get from Venice at the Film Festival “. Although” they had absolutely nothing to do with the film “.
In her complaint about the broken contract, Kruse claims that Priscilla Presley had illegally withdrawn from her various business agreements when her financial situation changed after the death of her daughter Lisa Marie. How Rolling Stone already reported, Ficht Presley A change in the promenade Trust Her daughter from 2016, through which she was removed as a co-faithful man. But then she quickly achieved a generous one Agree with her granddaughter Riley Keoughthat a flat-rate payment of $ 1 million, an annual salary of $ 100,000 and the right to a funeral near Elvis admitted in Graceland.
“We will not make any further comments at the present time”
In a previously Rolling Stone sent declaration described a spokesman for Kruse Presley’s lawsuit for abuse as a “retaliation measure” for Kruse’s breach of contract. “We are confident that the facts will speak for themselves. And that justice will win,” the explanation said. “It all makes us sad that a woman who needed help changed our lives. And that she is now trying to use her celebrity status to ruin the life of friendly, hard -working people.”
“We would like to thank all of our supporters who have stood by us in this difficult time. We will continue to concentrate on our business. And look forward to our day in court. The truth will come from evidence and not through rumors. We will not make any further comments at the moment. Because we respect the legal proceedings.”