SAN DIEGO -- Cheetahs strip-club employees contributed funds to city council members on the same day, 10News reported.

Video

Watch Entire 'Strip Club Bundles Contributions' Report See Exclusive Report On City Council Probe

Checks worth thousands of dollars were made out to candidates whom the club owners reportedly thought might be supportive. Bundling of contributions is not illegal or uncommon, but witnesses told 10News that the fund raising was more than just special-interest fund raising.

Jim Madaffer, Toni Atkins, Ralph Inzunza and Charles Lewis apparently took strip-club money, and some from the same employees of Cheetahs club in San Diego. Inzunza reportedly accepted $8,000 from strip-club employees and associates; Lewis, $5,000; Atkins, $3,500; and Madaffer, $3,500. All of the contributions came in the form of checks for $250 dollars and were reportedly delivered to all candidates on the same day.

Strip-club employee Brandi Smith said she gave contributions to both Atkins and Madaffer. She also said that six other employees also donated funds.

Jeff Bender, a disc jockey at Cheetahs, told 10News he contributed to certain candidates because he thought it was a good idea to donate to council members who might be friendly to the strip-club industry.

But when asked by 10News how it happened that so many employees from Cheetahs decided to donate to the same people, Bender replied: "Some of us thought it would be a good idea ... after we were talked to (pause)."

After declining to reveal who they talked to before donating, Bender may not have meant to reveal that employees were recruited at the club to donate to specific council candidates, 10News reported.

Another witness told 10News that club manager John D'Intino not only recruited employees, but he paid them $250 in cash to write checks for $250 that were made out to candidates. That amounts to laundering illegal campaign contributions according to 10News.

D'intino's attorney told 10News last Friday that if the allegations are true, it is not serious. But it is certainly part of the FBI investigation that led agents to search the offices of three council members and seize records.

Political consultants said bundling of contributions is not illegal and it is done for a reason. The businesses responsible for soliciting the contributions want to get credit with the elected official for having raised the money.