City prepares Galardi complaint

Friday, Oct. 17, 2003 | 11:13 a.m.

The Las Vegas city attorney's office is preparing a disciplinary complaint that could lead to the revocation of the license of the Michael Galardi-owned company that operates Cheetahs topless club.

Galardi pleaded guilty Sept. 8 in San Diego to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in an alleged scheme to bribe three San Diego councilmen, and he is a target of a federal corruption probe in Las Vegas that has yet to return indictments.

Deputy City Attorney Bill Henry said Thursday the complaint against La Fuente Inc., which is run by Galardi and his father, Jack Galardi, will be presented to the City Council on Nov. 5.

If the council approves the complaint, Henry explained, it likely would hold a hearing at a later date to decide what action to take.

One option would be to force the company to surrender its license, Henry said.

Within the past week, Jack Galardi, who is not a target in either of the federal investigations, has hired attorney Dominic Gentile to help him win approval from the city to put Cheetahs solely in his name.

"Jack has been found suitable for a long time to hold a license," Gentile said. "He is a 60 percent shareholder of the operating company, and he had no part in the activity that caused Mike to get into trouble.

"I don't see any reason to deny him the opportunity to operate Cheetahs."

Gentile said he planned to attend the Nov. 5 hearing to make his concerns known.

Clark County licensing officials are pressing Michael Galardi to sell the two topless clubs he owns in the county, Jaguars and Leopard Lounge, in the wake of his decision to plead guilty to the felony charge in the San Diego political corruption probe.

Galardi is cooperating with federal prosecutors in San Diego and Las Vegas, where charges are expected soon in a parallel investigation involving Galardi's topless clubs.

The names of Clark County Commission Chairwoman Mary Kincaid-Chauncey and former commissioners Erin Kenny, Dario Herrera and Lance Malone have surfaced as targets in the Las Vegas investigation.

Kenny has reportedly told friends and supporters that she has struck a deal and is cooperating with the authorities.

Kincaid-Chauncey, Herrera and Malone, who was charged in the San Diego probe, all reportedly have not not made any pre-indictment agreements with the government.

Three San Diego city councilmen, Malone, Michael Galardi and a Galardi employee, John D'Intino, were indicted by a federal grand jury investigating bribery charges. Prosecutors say Galardi tried to change laws regulating strip clubs by giving illegal campaign contributions to the councilmen.

Along with Galardi, D'Intino pleaded guilty to charges stemming from the investigation.

The others pleaded not guilty and are fighting charges.