He climbed to the top of Chicago’s nightlife scene as an owner of one of River North’s best-known clubs. Now, Dino Gardiakos is headed somewhere with a far less exclusive guest list.
On Tuesday, the 46-year-old was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to manufacturing or delivering narcotics, a case that began after he returned to O’Hare on an international flight with 14 pounds of ketamine. It marks Gardiakos’ second guilty plea in a major narcotics case since 2022. The first one ended with probation.
In March 2024, officials said Gardiakos arrived at O’Hare on an overnight flight from London carrying six kilograms of ketamine hidden inside six containers packed in his luggage, with more in a small container. After getting caught, Gardiakos allegedly told investigators he purchased the drugs in London and that the seller explained how to conceal them so he could make it through customs at O’Hare. Or not…