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Heidi Fleiss biography

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Quick Facts

  • NAME: Heidi Fleiss
  • OCCUPATION: Entrepreneur, Criminal
  • BIRTH DATE: December 30, 1965 (Age: 46)
  • EDUCATION: Valley College, Santa Monica College
  • PLACE OF BIRTH: Los Feliz, Los Angeles, California
more about Heidi

Best Known For

Heidi Fleiss, known as the "Hollywood Madam," ran a high-class prostitution ring until she was convicted in federal court in 1997.

Synopsis

Born to a prominent pediatrician in 1965, Heidi Fleiss first waitressed and then launched her own high-class prostitution ring. Known as the "Hollywood's Madam," she dealt exclusively with wealthy clientele, notably actor Charlie Sheen. In 1997, she was convicted of tax evasion and money laundering by a federal. Her trials drew extensive media coverage due to her "black book" of customer names.

Contents

Profile

Madam. Born in Los Angeles, California. One of six children born to a prominent pediatrician, Fleiss dropped out of high school at the age of 16. After receiving her high school equivalency, she briefly attended Valley College and later Santa Monica College. Fleiss worked as a waitress, before beginning a relationship with financier Bernie Cornfeld. In 1988, she was introduced to Elizabeth Adams, a longtime Beverly Hills madam who dealt exclusively with a wealthy clientele.

In 1990, Fleiss launched her own high-class prostitution ring and soon became known as the "Hollywood Madam." In 1993, she was charged by the state of California with five counts of pandering. The case went to trial and a jury convicted Fleiss on three of the five counts. She received the mandatory minimum sentence of three years in prison, but in a 1996 appeal the conviction was overturned after jurors admitted to vote trading and other infractions. The following year, Fleiss was tried in a federal court, where she was convicted of tax evasion and money laundering. She received a 37-month sentence, which she served at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California.

All three trials drew extensive media coverage, as it was speculated that Fleiss might reveal the names contained in her now infamous "black book" of customers (which was said to include large numbers of prominent citizens). Notably, actor Charlie Sheen testified at her trial that he alone paid Fleiss $53,000 for the sexual services of prostitutes.

© 2012 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.

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