The founder of former Orlando nightspot Club Paris pleaded no contest today for misdemeanor battery for an encounter he had with a woman in his apartment a year ago.
Fereidoun "Fred" Khalilian was sentenced to one-year probation. He must serve 200 hours of community service, undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation and submit to treatment if needed and have no contact with the 22-year-old victim.
The incident occurred on Nov. 9 when the victim went with Khalilian to his condominium overlooking Lake Eola. The next day, the victim, a former employee, went to Orlando police and reported being raped by Khalilian. He was initially charged with sexual battery and false imprisonment.
He was on probation at the time for an earlier battery case involving his ex-girlfriend. The arrest violated his probation.
Today, Orange Circuit Court Judge Julie O'Kane re-instated the six-month probation.
He must complete that probation before he serves his latest stint.
Defense attorney Mark NeJame said the state didn't have a strong case. Two witnesses - a condominium security guard and taxi driver - testified at a bond hearing last year that the victim appeared happy and content after leaving Khalilian.
The victim attended today's hearing. She still maintained that she was raped by Khalilian but understood the reason for the plea deal.
She told the judge about the flashbacks she suffers and the challenges she faces in regaining her life. "He stole so much from me that I'll never get back," she said.
She warned that if he attacked any other woman that she would be there to stand up for her. "I hope he takes this opportunity to turn his life around," she said.
Afterwards, Khalilian said he decided to take the deal so he could move on with his life. He's moved to Miami and is working on various media and celebrity projects.
"I'm trying to get my family life back in order," he said. "I want to put everything in Orlando behind me."
Khalilian gained national exposure in 2004 when he and Paris Hilton opened her pink-themed nightclub at Church Street Station. The club closed in 2007 and re-opened as Dolce Nightclub, which shut down earlier this year.
Source: Orlando Sentinel
