Documentary Maker Details How He Faked His Own Murder 'To Snare Ex-Boss'

A filmmaker says he faked his own murder as part of an FBI sting to catch the man who allegedly took out a hit on him.

J. Esco alleges that Fereidoun Khalilian wanted him dead because he feared being portrayed negatively in a documentary being made about him in Los Angeles, California.

Esco, who was profiling convicted conman Khalilian, bought fake blood and used his movie-making skills to stage his own death scene, according to the Los Angeles Times. Esco then worked with the FBI to bring his alleged would-be murderer to justice, he said in an interview with the newspaper that was published on Monday.

Khalilian, who is due to stand trial over the alleged murder-for-hire plot, denies the allegations.

Esco used to work as a computer technician and first met Khalilian—who calls himself "Prince Fred"—back in 2009 when he was hired to run the businessman's IT systems across his various companies. Esco was reportedly impressed by his boss's lavish lifestyle and celebrity connections; Khalilian once co-owned a short-lived nightclub with socialite Paris Hilton called Club Paris in Orlando, Florida.

But Esco's relationship with Khalilian soured when their office was raided in 2010 by federal agents, who kept guns trained on Esco as he was ordered to show the agents the servers. Khalilian had misrepresented car warranties he sold to customers through a 'robocaller' telemarketing business, and he was later ordered to pay a $4.2million settlement after a lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission. He was also "permanently banned from the telemarketing business" after he "conned consumers" into believing he was affiliated with auto dealers, according to a statement released by the FTC in January 2011.

Esco, who was furious with Khalilian, found himself jobless and set off on a new career path as an aspiring documentary maker.

By chance, he met Khalilian again in 2019 through a mutual acquaintance and offered to make a film about him, promising it would paint his former boss in a flattering light. In fact, he planned to run an exposé. "I'm actually conning the con man to come into this documentary," he told the LA Times.

But Khalilian reportedly heard about Esco's real motives and Esco then began to try to goad his subject with prank calls to record Khalilian's anger and threats. At one point Khalian allegedly told Esco he would "cut each one of your f***ing fingers off...I'm going to have your f***ing head."

Khalian then allegedly ordered his head of security, Mike Sherwood, to kill Esco in return for £20,000, an FBI agent wrote in a criminal complaint seen by the LA Times. But Sherwood instead warned Esco of the alleged plot. When Khalilian allegedly demanded proof of Esco's death, Esco and Sherwood hatched a plan to fake the murder. They staged a scene and took a picture, which Sherwood allegedly sent to Khalilian. It's alleged Khalilian then sent Sherwood $12,500 in a series of online payments.

Esco contacted the LA Times and the FBI, who advised Esco to lie low and engaged Sherwood to work for them by recording Khalilian discussing the alleged murder plot. The pair were in a wire-tapped car in a Dunkin' parking lot when the FBI stormed the scene and arrested Khalilian.

He was charged on suspicion of murder for hire and is facing a trial.

"Mr. Khalilian maintains his innocence and looks forward to defending himself in court," said his attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld. "The actions of the government witnesses surely need to be examined; however, it would be inappropriate to make any further comment at this time."

Newsweek has reached out to Schonfeld by email for further information and comment.

Esco told the LA Times that he is now hoping his documentary's bizarre twist will see it picked up by production companies.