Snake Eyes: Navy Suspends Vice Admiral In Gambling Probe
Vice Admiral Timothy M. Giardina is the number two man at the United States Strategic Command — the unit that oversees nuclear weapons and cyberwarfare — and appears to be caught up in a criminal probe:
[Giardina] has been suspended amid an investigation into his possible involvement in illegal gambling, officials said on Saturday.
The suspension occurred on Sept. 3, but was not announced publicly, said Capt. Pamela Kunze, the command’s spokeswoman. …
The Strategic Command was first alerted about the issue in mid-July. A month earlier, Admiral Giardina became the target of an inquiry being conducted by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation into possible use of counterfeit gambling chips at the Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs, Iowa, said David Dales, the head of the Southwest division of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Mr. Dales said the criminality in question involved poker at the casino, but said he could provide no further information. The agency’s investigation is still open and no state charges have been filed against Admiral Giardina, Mr. Dales said.
It was not clear whether Admiral Giardina’s actions compromised national security or the operations of the Strategic Command.
