Heidi Fleiss

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Heidi Fleiss

Heidi Fleiss, 2006
Born December 30, 1965 (1965-12-30) (age 43)
Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
Occupation Hollywood madam
Website
http://www.heidifleiss.com
Fleiss with fiancé Dennis Hof and Ron Jeremy at the Adult Video Network Convention 2006 in Las Vegas

Heidi Lynne Fleiss (born 30 December 1965), known as the "Hollywood Madam," is an American former madam.

Contents

[edit] Notoriety

In 1997, she was convicted in connection with her prostitution ring with charges including procuring (pandering) and tax evasion. Her ring reportedly had numerous famous and wealthy clients. She was sentenced to 37 months in prison for tax evasion, (the pandering charges were dropped), but served just 21. Her original three-year sentence prompted wide outrage at her harsh punishment, while her customers had not been punished.[1]

[edit] Appearances

In 1995, Nick Broomfield made a documentary about her ring called Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam. In 2004, a made-for-TV movie was produced called Call Me: The Rise and Fall of Heidi Fleiss, in which Fleiss was portrayed by actress Jamie-Lynn Sigler.

Fleiss and Sellers hosted and produced an instructional DVD titled Sex Tips with Heidi Fleiss and Victoria Sellers in 2001. She is a periodic guest on Fox News programs and is currently featured in Maxim Magazine's "Ask Heidi" column.

[edit] Personal life

In 2003, Fleiss accused her ex-boyfriend, actor Tom Sizemore, of domestic violence. Sizemore was convicted by a California jury of domestic violence, making criminal threats, and making obscene phone calls.[2]

Fleiss sold her Beverly Hills home on Tower Grove, where she lived next door to musician Billy Idol, and now resides in Pahrump, Nevada.

After kicking her drug habit as a result of her appearance on reality TV show Celebrity Rehab, Fleiss is engaged to be wed to Dennis Hof, owner of Nevada's Moonlite Bunny Ranch.[3]

Fleiss is Jewish[4] and has said that she is a vegetarian.[1]

[edit] Hollywood Madam

Fleiss, known as the Hollywood Madam became famous in August of 1993 when the LA Times reported her arrest.

Fleiss began entered the Hollywood prostitution ring under Madam Alex after meeting the famous Madam 90210 in 1987. Fleiss stated in 2003 in an interview with Larry King that her relationship with Adams "a very intense relationship." and that she "was kind of like the daughter she loved and hated, so she was abusive and loving at the same time."

By 1990 Fleiss parted with Adams and began to run her own prostitute ring. Fleiss has stated that she made one million her first five months as a madam, and that on her slowest night she only made 10,000 dollars. By 1991 and 1992 she was so successful that she began rejecting girls to work for her, and at this time other pimps and madams became jealous of Fleiss's success. She attributes this to her subsequent investigation, which the LAPD would begin wiretapping phone conversations and ultimately organize a June 8, 1993 sting investigation. In June of 1993, when she was arrested for multiple charges, including attempted pandering. News of the story in August of 1993, after which a media frenzy would surround the trial.

Federal charges were filed in 1994, and Heidi posted a $100,000 bail. The state trial began in 1994 as well. In May, 1996, her state conviction was overturned, and her appeal bond was set at $200,000. Her Federal trial began in 1996, and in September 1996 she was convicted of federal charges. She was sentenced to 37 months in prison. After two years she was released to halfway house, only to be sent back to federal prison at her request. She was finally released in September, 1999 after serving three years.

[edit] Business interests

In 2004, she sold the rights to her life story to Paramount Pictures for$5 million. She is the owner of the West Hollywood boutique "Hollywood Madam."

Fleiss has also announced plans to open a brothel in Pahrump called "Heidi Fleiss' Stud Farm."[5][6][7]

Fleiss owns a laundromat called "Dirty Laundry" in Pahrump, as her other plans to open a brothel have been put on hold due to a "slight complication." [8]

[edit] Arrest

On February 7, 2008, Fleiss was arrested in Pahrump, Nevada for illegal possession of prescription drugs and driving under the influence.[9]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Jill Smolowe (December 19, 1994). "A High Price to Pay". Time. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,982002,00.html. Retrieved 2007-07-22. 
  2. ^ Stephen M. Silverman (August 18, 2003). "Sizemore Convicted of Abusing Fleiss". People.com. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,626706,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-28. 
  3. ^ "Fleiss to Marry Brothel Boss". contactmusic.com. June 25, 2009. http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/article/fleiss-to-marry-brothel-boss_1107760. Retrieved 2009-07-28. 
  4. ^ Ariel Levy (February 2008). "The Once and Future Madam". Elle. http://www.elle.com/featurefullstory/12660/heidi-fleiss-elle-february-2008.html. Retrieved 2008-02-08. 
  5. ^ "Heidi Fleiss' Stud Farm". http://www.heidifleiss.com/studfarm/index.html. Retrieved 2008-02-08. 
  6. ^ George Knapp (May 26, 2005). "I-Team Exclusive Interview With Heidi Fleiss". KLAS-TV. http://www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=3388672. Retrieved 2008-02-08. 
  7. ^ "Heidi Fleiss eager again to do what she does best". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. June 19, 2005. http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_345213.html. Retrieved 2008-02-08. 
  8. ^ Pat Lalama (July 2, 2007). "Heidi Fleiss Opens 'Dirty' Laundromat". Fox News Channel. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,287652,00.html. Retrieved 2008-02-08. 
  9. ^ Abigail Goldman (February 7, 2008). "Heidi Fleiss arrested". Las Vegas Sun. http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/cops/2008/feb/07/heidi-fleiss-arrested/. Retrieved 2008-02-08. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidi_Fleiss"