Galardi’s sentencing in San Diego delayed

Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2004 | 11:02 a.m.

Former strip club owner Michael Galardi's sentencing on a San Diego charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud has been postponed until April 8.

The sentencing was scheduled for Monday in San Diego in connection with payments of illegal campaign contributions to public officials in an attempt to loosen strip club regulations in that city.

Galardi, who owned Cheetahs topless clubs in Las Vegas and San Diego, and Jaguars and Leopards Lounge in Clark County, has also pleaded guilty to a racketeering charge in a Las Vegas political corruption investigation.

Former Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in the Las Vegas case, that focuses on illegal payments and favors by Galardi to benefit his businesses.

Current County Commissioner Mary Kincaid-Chauncey and two former commissioners, Dario Herrera and Lance Malone, have also been charged in the federal probe, but have maintained their innocence.

Attorneys involved in the case have estimated that any trials won't begin for as long as a year because of thousands of hours of wiretap recordings, and have said that Galardi will not be sentenced until after he testifies in the cases.