SAN DIEGO -- A former strip club owner who admitted paying thousands of dollars in bribes to get three San Diego councilmen to repeal a "no-touch" nude dancing ordinance was sentenced Thursday to 15 months in federal prison.

Michael Galardi, 47, pleaded guilty in September 2003 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

His sentence is to run concurrently with a 30-month federal term he received last week in Las Vegas for bribing Nevada officials to gain advantages for his nude clubs similar to those he sought in San Diego.

His testimony in Las Vegas led to the convictions of four former Clark County commissioners.

In addition to prison time in the Nevada case, Galardi must pay $500,000 in fines and restitution, forfeit nearly $4 million to the federal government and end his involvement in Las Vegas strip clubs.

In the San Diego case, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Miller ordered Galardi to pay a $30,000 fine.

Before Miller imposed his sentence, Galardi told the judge that he was sorry for his actions.

"I apologize to the people for the shame and embarrassment I've caused this great city," Galardi said. "The stress has been unbearable. What I've been through I would not wish on anybody."

Galardi asked the judge to be as compassionate as possible with his sentence, "for the sake of my kids."

Miller told Galardi that his actions were an assault on the integrity of government and also added fuel to the fire of those who see nothing good about government.

Outside court, Galardi, whose children are 8 and 10 years old, thanked prosecutors and FBI agents who worked with him once he decided to cooperate.

"Them guys worked their butt off in this case," Galardi told reporters. "The government's real lucky to have them working for them."

Galardi was asked what the last four years have been like.

"For me, it's been four years of pure hell," he said. "And I'm just glad it's behind me."

Galardi, who listed assets of $45 million in court documents, said he would eventually like to get out of the adult entertainment business.

"Being in the business, you're actually held hostage, we feel, by the politicians," Galardi said.

He said laws, like the San Diego ordinance prohibiting touching of nude dancers, "cost us a lot of money, and we're in business to make money just like any other business."

Once Galardi finishes his prison term, he will not be able to own any strip clubs in California during his three years on supervised release, Miller told him.

Galardi told reporters that he could make $500 million if he sold 40 clubs in the family business.

"I don't think I'd ever have to work again," he said.

Galardi had a message for other owners of adult clubs.

"You need to just do it that right way," he said. "Don't do it my way. My way was the wrong way. It's as simple as that."

Galardi said the entire ordeal has taken its toll on him.

"The stress ... it's unbelievable," Galardi told reporters.

He said at the time he sent lobbyist Lance Malone to San Diego to bribe Councilmen Charles Lewis, Ralph Inzunza and Michael Zucchet, he thought "it was business as usual."

Galardi didn't express a high opinion of politicians anywhere.

"I think people feel the same way everywhere about politicians," he said. "They feel that they're all corrupt, and I actually agree with them."

Galardi, who started cleaning his father's club at age 8, said he didn't want his children to grow up in the adult entertainment business.

"I didn't grow up wealthy at all. Of course my kids are," Galardi said, "so they'll have more opportunities than I did. They'll go to college, get a degree and hopefully get a real job."

Malone, Zucchet and Inzunza were convicted in July 2005, but Miller overturned the jury's verdicts against Zucchet on all but two counts, for which he could be retried.

Inzunza was sentenced to 21 months behind bars but is out of custody while his case is appealed.

Cheetah's San Diego manager John D'Intino also pleaded guilty, and Lewis died before trial.