Elvis Presley's 'Irreplaceable' Secret Private Letters to The Beatles and Dean Martin Revealed in Multi-Million Dollar Court Battle
Elvis' personal items have been revealed in the court battle.
Jan. 20 2025, Published 6:59 p.m. ET
Elvis Presley's "irreplaceable" letters to The Beatles and Dean Martin have been revealed.
RadarOnline.com can report that private and secret items belonging to the late "King of Rock and Roll" were finally disclosed in the explosive court battle.
According to court documents, Thomas McDonald was sued by Elvis’ estate over an auction of the late singer's belongings.
According to court documents, Thomas McDonald was sued by Elvis’ estate over an auction of the late singer's belongings.
Graceland Holdings and Elvis Presley Enterprises, who operate The Elvis Presley Trust, sued the company, GWS Auctions, as well as several other defendants, including a woman named Brigitte Kruse, back in December 2024.
In the lawsuit, Graceland Holdings and Elvis Presley Enterprises claimed the company was responsible for preserving Elvis’ historic items.
The lawsuit said it sought to reclaim from defendants "personal property in the form at least seventy four irreplaceable documents and items of memorabilia belonging to [The Elvis Presley Trust], which items defendants have improperly and illegally offered for sale at auction."
The suit continued: "[The Elvis Presley Trust] also believe defendants are in possession of perhaps thousands more such items also belonging to [the trust] beyond those Defendants have listed publicly for sale and also seek the return of all such physical property."
Elvis was managed by Colonel Tom Parker.
As explained in the documents, Elvis was managed by Colonel Tom Parker – and in 1990, the estate purchased a collection of documents belonging to the late singer that was in the possession of Parker.
Elvis' estate claimed Parker agreed to give up the items, but not all were handed over, and claimed some of the belongings ended up with Parker's former employee named Greg McDonald.
However, McDonald claimed the "entire affair had been a misunderstanding and that he did not in fact possess any such materials" – that he actually has photocopies of documents and not the originals.
According to the lawsuit: "It is apparent how these items came into Greg’s possession and made their way to [Brigitte] and her auction house."
McDonald has since died, and the lawsuit claimed his family members handed over the possessions to the auction house – which led Elvis' estate to take legal action demanding the items be returned.
In the latest legal development, McDonald's son, Thomas, asked that Elvis’ estate be shut down.
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But the auction moved forward despite the legal action, and Elvis' estate demanded the items not be transferred to the buyers until the judge heard their argument.
In the latest legal development, McDonald's son, Thomas, asked that Elvis’ estate be shut down and claimed his father obtained the items from Elvis’ manager.
Thomas said: "When Elvis passed in 1977, Greg, [Tom], and those close to him were devastated. In the years after his death, Greg would save all the files and items he attained while working with [Tom] in relation to Elvis.
"[Tom] would do the same, and while he kept much of it for decades, he purposely gave Greg numerous items and files, knowing that Greg would keep care to preserve them well."
The lawsuit continued: "[Elvis’ estate] position themselves as historians, preserving the legacy of Elvis Presley.
"They have undoubtedly attained an impressive collection of artifacts and memorabilia to tell the story. However, plaintiffs now use their position as armor in a callous attempt to take property to which they have no rightful claim."
According to the documents, Thomas claimed the lawsuit portrayed his father as a "greedy employee" of Tom who "stole property worth millions of dollars from him."
