Lodi City Council candidate arrested in money laundering, internet gambling operation case
A Lodi City Council candidate was being held in a San Joaquin County Jail cell Wednesday after being arrested on suspicion of money laundering and other felony crimes, authorities said.
Shakir Khan, who appears as Shak Khan on election ballots for Lodi City Council District 4, was arrested on suspicion of money laundering, conspiracy and maintaining gambling premises, according to jail records. He was being held on $225,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court Friday.
Khan owns the American Smokers Club on Waterloo Road in Stockton, where he operated an illegal internet gambling operation, authorities said. In his candidate statement, Khan, 31, described himself as a small business owner, husband and father of two children who served as an overseas U.S. military contractor for the Department of Defense from 2012-16.
“I love the livable, lovable city of Lodi,” Khan said in his statement. “I will do my best to fix the streets of Lodi, clean up the homeless crisis and bring diverse communities together in the City of Lodi. I will also work in hand with local law enforcement to take care of the local gang violence, drug problems and keep Lodi safe.”
San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Sandra Mendez told The Sacramento Bee investigators served a search warrant at American Smokers Club in September. That investigation led to Khan’s arrest Wednesday.
Mendez said no one else has been arrested in connection with the case, but other arrests are possible.
