Galardi tries to sell strip clubs

Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2003 | 11:12 a.m.

Strip club owner Michael Galardi is working on selling his two clubs in the county, and his attorneys are continuing to meet with county officials over the future of his businesses, a county spokeswoman said.

"Galardi's attorneys have met with our attorneys and have told them that he (Galardi) is actively trying to sell the clubs," county spokeswoman Stacey Welling said.

The county will not allow Galardi to operate Jaguars and the Leopard Lounge after Galardi pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud as part of a political corruption case in San Diego.

Wire fraud, a felony, is considered a crime of moral turpitude by the county and is cause for the removal of business and liquor licenses, Clark County counsel Mary Miller has said.

There is no timetable for Galardi to turn over his licenses to the county, and lawyers from both sides continue to meet on the issue, Welling said.

Galardi was originally given 30 days to turn over his licenses after pleading guilty on Sept. 8, but negotiations may result in a longer process.

Galardi pleaded guilty in San Diego after initially pleading innocent to a federal charges released in an indictment Aug. 28. The indictment alleges that Galardi, former Clark County Commissioner Lance Malone and the manager of a Galardi-owned strip club in San Diego made illegal campaign contributionss to three San Diego city councilmen in an attempt to get them to relax regulation of strip clubs.

No indictments have been released by authorities in a parallel Las Vegas investigation that has included grand jury testimony and the execution of search warrants at Galardi's clubs.

Las Vegas also is looking into Galardi's licenses for Cheetahs, a strip club within the city. Jim DiFiore, business services manager for the city, said the city continues to look at what will be done with Galardi's licences.

"I'm not sure what the outcome will be, but I think we'll have something soon," DiFiore said.

Attorneys for Galardi did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment this morning.

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