GWS Auctions Reps Say Priscilla Presley's Recollections About Elvis Memorabilia Were 'Very Clear' amid Authenticity Claims

• In a statement, GWS Auctions has responded to allegations that memorabilia belonging to Elvis Presley was inauthentic
• They claim that Priscilla Presley was “very clear” about their authenticity
• GWS also alleges that Elvis Presley Enterprises/Graceland “authenticate certain lots for a fee”

GWS Auctions, the auction house founded by Brigitte Kruse — whom Priscilla Presley is suing for financial abuse — has responded to claims that memorabilia belonging to Elvis Presley was inauthentic.

In a statement posted to their website on Thursday, July 25, the auction house claimed that Priscilla’s recollection about the pieces in question were “very clear” and defended its reputation.

“GWS has been unfairly maligned, and its reputation harmed,” the statement reads, appearing to refer to a recent report from NBC News where Joel Weinshanker, managing partner of Elvis Presley Enterprises, questioned Graceland executives.

It added that Kruse “categorically denies any elder financial abuse” of Priscilla, 79, and “those allegations do not involve GWS,” reiterating that Kruse is “not an owner of GWS.”

The statement then explained that GWS received “letters of recollection” from Elvis’ ex-wife regarding certain items from the Col. Tom Parker Collection, which “provided additional support and provenance, and GWS believed that they were of historical value to collectors.”

“Ms. Presley’s name was associated with the Col. Parker collection and because she was there in real time,” the statement reads.

GWS claims that while they were preparing for the auction of the Col. Parker collection, “EPE/Graceland offered to authenticate certain lots for a fee.”

Because they were content with their own verification process and the evidence of authenticity they had, they “elected not to pay a fee for additional authentication of those items.”

“Additionally, Ms. Presley’s name was inscribed on one of the pieces and she maintained a close relationship with Col. Parker up until the time of his passing,” the statement reads. “Ms. Presley’s recollections about these pieces were very clear.”

GWS also claimed that EPE “is not the only source of expertise with respect to Elvis Presley memorabilia” and added that NBC failed to disclose that “EPE’s business model involves the fee-based authentication of Elvis Presley artifacts.”

“While experts can legitimately form different opinions regarding the authenticity of any item in any asset class, GWS stands behind everything that it sells, and categorically denies trafficking in fake or inauthentic items attributed to Elvis Presley,” they added.

Reps for Priscilla and Weinshanker have not yet responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

On Friday, July 19, Weinshanker told NBC News that he first became suspicious of GWS Auctions’ items when he saw a black grommet jacket, supposedly worn by Elvis in 1972, go up for sale.

However, he claimed that the jacket — made as a one-of-a-kind item for the late singer — is hanging in Graceland’s private collection.

“We know there was only one made, and guess what? We have it in our archives,” Weinshanker told the outlet, who reported that they visited Elvis’ Memphis estate and were shown the jacket and its receipt.

In addition to the jacket, other pieces of memorabilia which GWS Auctions has put up for sale include multiple pieces of Elvis’ jewelry and even his plane, a red 1962 Lockheed Jetstar, NBC News reported.

Elvis’ estate told the publication that he never flew on the plane, and he only owned it for a few months.

According to Priscilla’s lawsuit filed earlier this month, Kruse and Elvis’ ex-wife formed a bond over the years, and Kruse began to assist with Priscilla’s finances and act as her power of attorney.

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Per the complaint, previously obtained by PEOPLE, the pair met through mutual connections to discuss Kruse’s business selling Elvis memorabilia. According to the suit, she allegedly “quickly immersed herself” in Priscilla’s life, and the pair started working together toward the end of 2021.

While NBC News reported that several items sold by GWS Auctions were accompanied by letters written by Priscilla defending their authenticity, Graceland executives grew skeptical, as some of them accompanied items that would have been owned by Elvis after Priscilla and the musician split, such as a pair of gold “Aloha from Hawaii” snowman cufflinks.

Per GWS Auctions, Elvis purchased the cufflinks in Hawaii to celebrate the success of his 1973 TV special Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii.