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Church of Scientology claims Priscilla Presley didn’t leave, yet source still says she did
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A media representative for the controversial Church of Scientology claims the despite reports of Priscilla Presley leaving the religious sect after 40 years, she’s still very much an active member.

On Sunday, DailyMail reported that the former wife of the late Elvis Presley had “had enough” and parted ways with the church, but according to the church, the tale was fabricated by a man named Tony Ortega, a journalist who frequently blogs about the Church of Scientology.

Ortega claimed on his site, The Underground Bunker, that he exposed Lisa Marie Presley’s departure from the church a few years before she publicly came forward. He wrote that Presley had actually left the church with her daughter in 2014, but that Presley, unlike her daughter, still hasn’t come forward publicly.

The Church of Scientology stated that Presley’s rep, who remains unnamed, said the 72-year-old is still with religious sect, but requests for the rep’s name and confirmation haven’t been answered. Presley herself has not cleared up whether she indeed left the church or not.

Although Ortega claimed that Presley’s silence was a “game the celebs play,”  it’s difficult to confirm or deny her exit from the church without a statement from Presley herself.

Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.

Original Story

Priscilla Presley, former wife of the late Elvis Presley, allegedly walked away from the Church of Scientology after staying loyal to the controversial religious sect for 40 years.

Daily Mail reports that 72-year-old Presley announced that she’d “had enough” after walking away from the group completely. Although it’s still unclear why Presley decided to leave, a disclosed source mentioned that she’s had a difficult time since her daughter, Lisa Marie, left the group in 2014.

“Lisa Marie leaving made it hard for Priscilla. They are very close as a family and leaving the church has been a family decision.”

Presley joined the group shortly after Elvis passed away in 1977, at the recommendation of friend, John Travolta, who still remains a Church of Scientology member today.

Other former members of the religious sect reported being blackmailed each time they tried to depart. Some members accused the church of holding them against their will and even taking family members hostage. Strenuous, hard labor is also a part of the religion’s requirements, according to other former members.

Lisa Marie said she left the group after she slowly started to “self-destruct.” She blamed the church for taking literally everything away from her.

“I was slowly starting to self-destruct. They were taking my soul, my money, my everything.”

Actress Leah Remini became an unofficial spokesperson for those abused members of the church. Remini claimed that the Church of Scientology not only abused people, but took their money and often separated parents from their young children, according to Insider. There were also claims of sexual abuse, as outlined in Remini’s docuseries on the religion, entitled, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath.

“I can’t let the church continue to abuse people and take their money and their lives,” Remini said. “For some reason, I believe that I am the person to help to make it right.”

The religious sect denied any claims of abuse.

[Feature Photo: AP/Mark Humphrey]