June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and a high-profile court case is shining a harsh spotlight on a disturbing reality: no one is immune to financial manipulation. Priscilla Presley, now 79, is taking legal action against former associates she claims defrauded her out of more than $1 million. Her story is more than a headline—it’s a warning.
If someone with Presley’s fame, resources, and professional support system can be victimized, what about the rest of us?
Her case underscores an urgent truth: elder financial abuse is widespread, devastating, and often preventable. But only if we take the right steps—before a crisis hits.
Let’s examine how this kind of exploitation unfolds, what makes it so hard to detect, and how Life & Legacy Planning offers a powerful shield against manipulation and loss.
How Elder Financial Abuse Often Starts: The Playbook of Predators
While the exact outcome of Presley’s case remains to be seen, the alleged events follow a troubling pattern seen in many elder exploitation cases. According to court filings, Presley’s former business associate, Brigitte Kruse, allegedly gained her trust over two years, pushed out long-trusted advisors, and convinced Presley to sign legal documents handing over control of her assets and business affairs.
This three-step strategy is disturbingly common:
1. Grooming Through “Helpfulness”
Abuse often begins with kindness. The abuser enters the older adult’s life as a “helper,” offering support, praise, and emotional closeness. Over time, they become the trusted confidant. Presley claims this is exactly how Kruse positioned herself—someone to rely on, someone who cared.
2. Intentional Isolation
Once trust is established, the next step is cutting the victim off from outside input. According to Presley’s legal team, she was encouraged to question or sever ties with her established circle of advisors. This kind of isolation is often subtle but deadly. It removes the people most likely to recognize red flags or question sudden changes.
3. Gaining Legal Authority
Finally, with trust and access secured, the predator pushes for control—through powers of attorney, asset transfers, or signing authority. Once those documents are in place, it becomes significantly harder to intervene. In Presley’s case, that alleged authority was reportedly used to funnel away significant funds.
This pattern doesn’t just apply to celebrities. It plays out every day across the country—in homes, nursing facilities, and even in trusted relationships.
Why Elder Financial Abuse Affects Families Everywhere
Elder abuse doesn’t discriminate based on fame, status, or wealth. It preys on vulnerability, and the emotional impact is often just as devastating as the financial toll.
Here’s what’s at stake:
- Massive Financial Loss: According to federal reports, U.S. banks identified nearly $27 billion in suspected elder exploitation in just a 12-month period. Families often discover too late that retirement savings, home equity, or long-term care funds have vanished.
- Emotional Fallout: Victims frequently feel shame, fear, and confusion. Many hide the abuse, worried no one will believe them—or worse, that they brought it on themselves.
- Fractured Families: These situations often ignite suspicion, tension, and blame. It’s not uncommon for adult children to turn on each other, while the actual abuser keeps manipulating from the sidelines.
The only way to truly protect against this is to plan ahead, talk openly, and create strong legal frameworks that don’t just sit in a drawer—but actively function when needed.
Why Life & Legacy Planning Provides Real Protection
Too many people approach estate planning as a one-and-done checklist. A will here, a power of attorney there—and that’s it.
But that’s exactly the kind of surface-level planning that fails families when they need help the most.
Life & Legacy Planning® is a proactive approach that focuses on real-world functionality—not just legal paperwork. It’s built to adapt, evolve, and actually work when circumstances change.
What makes it different?
1. Clarity and Communication
With Life & Legacy Planning, your legal documents don’t just exist—they’re explained. Your family will know who’s in charge of what, where your documents are, and how everything connects. Everyone is informed, which makes it harder for someone to step in and confuse or isolate you later.
2. Scheduled Plan Reviews
Relationships shift. Health changes. Financial holdings evolve. That’s why my planning process includes regular updates. We review your plan and structure to catch anything that feels off—before it becomes a crisis. And we encourage your loved ones to stay engaged so they’re not left wondering what to do.
3. A Long-Term Relationship With Your Lawyer
This is one of the biggest differentiators. As your Personal Family Lawyer®, I don’t just draft your documents and disappear. I stay in the picture for the long haul, offering guidance and a second set of eyes if anything seems suspicious.
If someone ever tries to push you in the wrong direction, your family will have someone to call—someone who knows you, knows your plan, and knows how to step in.
Protecting Yourself Starts Before You’re At Risk
The best time to build your defense against elder abuse is before anyone has the chance to take advantage of you.
That means:
- While you’re still sharp, healthy, and able to communicate your wishes clearly.
- Before someone begins trying to manipulate or isolate you.
- While your family is still unified and open to planning.
Waiting too long could mean losing control of decisions, assets, and even your independence.
Practical Steps You Can Take Right Now
Here’s how to get ahead of elder financial abuse—starting today:
✅ Have clear, honest conversations with your loved ones
Let them know your intentions, who you trust, and how you want them to act if something doesn’t seem right.
✅ Involve a team of advisors who know you
A lawyer, CPA, or financial advisor who works closely with you can serve as an early warning system when something feels off.
✅ Stay alert to warning signs
If someone new is asking too many personal questions, encouraging secrecy, or pulling you away from trusted friends and family, trust your instincts and reach out.
You Don’t Have to Be a Victim—You Just Have to Plan Ahead
The full details of Presley’s legal fight are still unfolding. But the underlying message is crystal clear: elder abuse is real, it’s growing, and it can happen to anyone. Even someone famous. Even someone prepared—on paper.
But with the right plan, the right guidance, and the right conversations, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from becoming the next cautionary tale.
Let’s Build a Shield That Works
As a Personal Family LawyerⓇ, I specialize in creating Life & Legacy Plans that don’t just safeguard your assets—they preserve your autonomy, protect your relationships, and empower your family with clarity and confidence.
We’ll begin with a Life & Legacy PlanningⓇ Session, where I’ll help you get organized, walk through your goals, and show you exactly what will happen to your assets and your family if something happens to you—and how to make sure it unfolds the way you want. Use the form below to schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation and learn how we can help you create a Life & Legacy Plan that truly protects your family.
This article is a service of The Life and Legacy Law Center, a Personal Family Lawyer® Firm. We don’t just draft documents; we ensure you make informed and empowered decisions about life and death, for yourself and the people you love. That’s why we offer a Life & Legacy Planning® Session, during which you will get more financially organized than you’ve ever been before and make all the best choices for the people you love. You can begin by calling our office today to schedule a Life & Legacy Planning Session.
The content is sourced from Personal Family Lawyer® for use by Personal Family Lawyer firms, a source believed to be providing accurate information. This material was created for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as ERISA, tax, legal, or investment advice. If you are seeking legal advice specific to your needs, such advice services must be obtained on your own separate from this educational material.