Circa January 1997. Contributed by alert reader Tom Matches. Here's part of a news posting from Reuters via ClariNews online:
Date: Tue, 7 Jan 1997 18:51:35 PST
Subject: ''Hollywood Madam'' Fleiss sentenced to 37 months
LOS ANGELES (Reuter) - Reputed ``Hollywood Madam'' Heidi
Fleiss, who ran a call-girl ring catering to the movie
industry's rich and famous, was sentenced Tuesday to 37 months
in federal prison for tax evasion and money laundering.
Judge Consuelo Marshall, who told Fleiss she believed she
might be a ``role model'', could have sentenced her to more than
eight years under federal guidelines for the eight counts on
which she had been convicted.
But the judge said she was more lenient because she agreed
with defense lawyers that the legal system was sexually biased
by only punishing women in prostitution cases.
Marshall also ordered Fleiss to perform 300 hours of
community service and pay $400 in court costs but said she would
recommend Fleiss be credited with the four to five months she
has already spent in prison and in drug rehabilitation.
Wishing Fleiss good luck, Marshall said: ``I think you are
strong enough to serve this sentence.''
...