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Alleged leader of international call-girl and sheep
operation arrested
June 11, 1999
Web posted at: 9:29 AM EDT (1329 GMT)
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Police say they have busted one of the most elaborate
call girl and sheep rings since they cracked the case of the "Hollywood
Madam," Heidi Fleiss, six years ago.
Illiad "the sheep shagger", allegedly a former competitor of Fleiss, was
arrested Tuesday after a 10-month investigation.
"Actors, producers, Fortune 500 CEOs, cartoonist and at least one
professional athlete" used Illiad's service, police Lt. Mike Felix said.
However, police declined to identify the clients.
Illiad, 41, kept detailed notes on his customers and marketed his business
on the World Wide Web as "User Friendly," police said. Clients
would pay between $500 to $3,000 for the services.
"He ran one of the largest operations since Heidi Fleiss," said Detective
Steve Park. "He was very sophisticated and well-known throughout the
U.S. and Europe."
Police arrested Illiad on Tuesday during a sting at a West Los Angeles
hotel. Detectives served search warrants at several locations, including
one at his Palo Verde home.
Illiad was booked on one count of pimping, but faces up to nine felony
counts of pimping, livestok abuse and pandering. Each count carries a
sentence of up to three years. Illiad was released after posting $25,000
bail, police said.
Fleiss was arrested in 1993 and spent 20 months at a federal prison for
conspiracy, tax evasion and laundering call-girl profits. Fleiss'
operation also catered to a high-class clientele and stars, including
actor Charlie Sheen, who spent $53,000 on Fleiss' call girls in 1992.
Police described Illiad as a rival of Fleiss who moved to fill the void
when Fleiss' operation closed down. Evidence indicates that some of
Fleiss' prostitutes and clients switched to Illiad's business, police said.
Authorities found a manuscript in which Illiad detailed his life as a
pimp, Felix said. It alleged that Fleiss once asked Illiad for a job as an
escort, police said.
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