LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Paris Hilton’s former business partner Fereidoun Khalilian, who goes by the name “Prince Fred,” was recently arrested on suspicion of attempting to arrange the murder of a filmmaker. Reports suggest that the filmmaker previously worked for him but Khalilian, 51, tried to have the documentarian killed for what he believed was a negative documentary made about him.
Officials said Khalilian was arrested on Wednesday, June 21, at a Dunkin’ Doughnuts store in Las Vegas for the alleged murder-for-hire plot, the Los Angeles Times reported. While the name of the filmmaker targeted in the attempt remains undisclosed, authorities confirmed that he is based In Los Angeles. No other details on the alleged murder conspiracy have been made available to the public. Hilton has also maintained her silence about the accusations.
Who is Prince Fred?
Khalilian, aka “Prince Fred,” is the former co-owner of Hilton’s nightclub in Orlando. He describes himself as an entrepreneur and entertainment agent on his Instagram account, which has more than 235,000 followers at the time of writing. Hilton and Khalilian reportedly worked together in the mid-2000s as the co-owners of Orlando’s Club Paris.
The club was reportedly opened in 2004 and featured a private bedroom adorned with bright pink wall colors. It was later sold to Dior Entertainment and closed in 2007. Speaking about Khalilian in 2005, Hilton said, “His first name is Fred. I can't spell his last name,” the Daily Mail reported. Khalilian currently works in cryptocurrency and showcases a world traveler-like persona while interacting with celebrities like rapper Drake, singer Akon, comedian Kevin Hart, and NBA All-Star James Harden, the publication noted.
Khalilian has a history of legal troubles
Prior to his latest controversy, Khalilian was reportedly arrested on charges of assault and sexual assault in 2005 and 2007, respectively. One of the charges stemmed from allegations made by a Club Paris employee. “I’m a diplomat. You can't arrest me. I own Club Paris,” he allegedly told TMZ at the time.
Khalilian later pleaded no contest to misdemeanor battery in November 2007. He was sentenced to one year of probation and 200 hours of community service. The agent was also embroiled in legal trouble during his time at Monster, an audio company that worked with rapper Dr Dre to sell his 'Beats By Dre'.
As per Fortune, employees at Monster sought a restraining order against Khalilian for making alleged “threats of mutilation, death, and threats to family.” Company CEO Noel Lee previously said that Khalilian was a “genius” when they brought him but mentioned that he was “an acquired taste, because you don't know what to make of him when you first meet him.”