Former strip club owner Galardi released from federal custody

Former strip club owner Michael Galardi has been released by federal authorities after being in custody for a little more than half of his 30-month sentence for racketeering and fraud in connection with federal political corruption probes in San Diego and Las Vegas, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Galardi, former owner of Cheetah's in Las Vegas, will be on supervised release for three years, his lawyer, Bob Rose, told the Union-Tribune. Galardi is living in the San Diego area.

In 2003, Galardi secretly pleaded guilty in Las Vegas to racketeering. He admitted to paying between $200,000 and $400,000 to “certain public officials” in exchange for their influence over matters affecting his strip clubs. He also agreed to cooperate with authorities investigating the Las Vegas case. Galardi was sentenced in 2007.

Galardi's testimony played a significant role in the convictions of former Clark County Commission members Dario Herrera and Mary Kincaid-Chauncey. Former Clark County Commission members Erin Kenny and Lance Malone also were brought down in the political corruption scandal.