A court filing in Los Angeles has alleged that John Travolta's youngest son, Ben, is the biological great-grandchild of Elvis Presley. The claim, contained in a $50 million (£37 million) breach-of-contract lawsuit brought by Priscilla Presley's former business associates, centres on the parentage of the 15-year-old boy.
The filing alleges that Elvis's granddaughter, actress Riley Keough, donated eggs so Travolta and his late wife Kelly Preston could conceive Ben. It further claims that Lisa Marie Presley had previously donated eggs for the couple. The allegations remain unproven and are presented solely within the plaintiffs' lawsuit.
The document states that Michael Lockwood, Lisa Marie's ex-husband, told the plaintiffs that the Travoltas approached the Presley family in 2010 after the death of their son Jett. Lockwood is alleged to have said that Travolta no longer wanted to use Lisa Marie's eggs due to her opioid addiction, and instead a deal was made with Riley Keough to provide eggs.
The filing claims Keough was paid modestly for the arrangement, receiving an old Jaguar and between $10,000 and $20,000. It also alleges that the agreement required sign-off from the Church of Scientology. Ben Travolta was born in November 2010; Preston died in 2020.
Priscilla Presley, who is countersuing the plaintiffs for fraud and elder abuse, has denied all allegations. Her lawyer described the claims as “shameful, ridiculous, salacious and meritless.” The plaintiffs' lawyer defended the filing, stating they were “heartbroken” to have made the amended complaint.
