'Swedish Lisa' sues Elvis estate

It's a bizarre story: A Swedish woman who claimed she is Lisa Marie Presley and even wrote a book about it... 

  • Is Swedish Lisa Johansen (above) Elvis Presley’s real daughter? There are certainly facial resemblances between the two.
  • It’s a bizarre story: A Swedish woman who claimed she is Lisa Marie Presley and even wrote a book about her ordeal (“I, Lisa Marie: The True Story of Elvis Presley’s Real Daughter” published in 1998), just filed suit against Elvis Presley’s estate for libel and emotional damages she claimed she suffered after she received a scathing letter from the Presleys’ lawyer. Lisa Johansen (that’s her name) filed suit in U.S. District Court last week, seeking $130 million for libel and emotional damages.

  • In her book, Johansen describes how Priscilla Presley (Elvis’ wife and mother of their child Lisa Marie) went to Europe with Lisa Marie following the death of Elvis in 1977, since she feared for her daughter’s safety. In conjunction with the publication of her book, Johansen gave interviews in Swedish newspapers, telling her strange story. She maintains she had to take on a new identity and that she has fought ever since to get her “real” identity (and heritage) back. At the same time she has denied a DNA-test. Last summer, the Presley family had had enough of Johansen, and hired Hollywood-lawyer Marty Singer, who wrote the letter that has now prompted Johansen to sue. The mystery might soon be solved, as Johansen has finally agreed to have a DNA-test done.