MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A well-known Memphis hairstylist is accused of sexual battery. A client claims Feras Hdaib, 43, was supposed to be cutting her hair, but instead groped her.
“Really, it’s killing me inside,” Hdaib told WREG on Monday.
Through tears, Hdaib denied the allegations.
“I built my name for eight years. This woman comes to blackmail me. I don’t do nothing to her. I’m not that kind of guy.”
The alleged victim told police Hdaib was doing her hair, when suddenly, he put his hand down her shirt, then sat down, pulled her onto his lap and started thrusting on her.
It was reported over the weekend at the Extended Stay America Hotel in East Memphis, where Hdaib’s been providing hair services.
He said it was only his second time doing the woman’s hair.
“First time when she came here, three months ago, I did it and she complained for the price and I gave her a nice deal and she came back after three months and she have that direction in her mind.”
His portfolio says he has clients around the world, including pageant queens. It also says he’s won multiple hair styling awards in Memphis.
“I do have a very good quality name and I’m the best of Memphis for three years.”
But multiple former clients we tracked down called him erratic and described odd behavior.
“The consensus was it’s weird and it seems shady, but he does a good job for a good price,” said a former client who only wanted to go by “Melissa.”
Another anonymous client said, “I am not surprised at all by the allegations. Although, he was never sexually inappropriate with me, his behavior was always unpredictable and borderline scary.”
“He has a flirty demeanor, but I just thought it was because he just enjoys working around a lot of women,” said Melissa.
Hdaib’s former clients said he’s worked at multiple salons in Memphis before. We’ve confirmed he’s at least worked at one called Studio Larue.
We tried to ask Hdaib more about these allegations, his past and comments from previous clients, but a woman with him told us he didn’t have anything else to say.
We’re working to get more information.
