Nov. 14—STOCKTON — Former Lodi City Councilman Shak Khan will go on trial on Jan. 2 to face a litany of illegal gambling and EDD fraud charges.
Khan pleaded not guilty to all charges against him during a Monday court appearance, which include operating an illegal gambling facility, money laundering totaling millions of dollars, four counts of filing false tax returns and five counts of possessing illegal gambling machines.
He is also charged with providing a false statement to the EDD regarding unemployment compensation for himself and other individuals, as well as committing grand theft after receiving more than $950 from the agency.
Khan was arrested in October of 2020, a week before he was elected to the council's District 4 seat.
The Sheriff's Office at the time said he was one of seven arrested during a weeks-long investigation into illegal gambling establishments throughout the county.
According to the 45-page complaint filed against Khan at the time, he had been allowing illegal gambling to occur at the American Smokers Club, located at 2620 E. Waterloo Road in Stockton, between Feb. 14, 2018 and Sept. 7, 2020.
In addition, Khan pleaded not guilty to all voter fraud charged against him Monday, and Judge Richard M. Mallett set a hearing for a trial date on Dec. 11.
Khan was arrested on the voter fraud charges earlier this year after San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office detectives were alerted to irregularities in voter rolls at the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters Office that were tied to Khan's Lodi address.
Deputies found 70 names on on the voter rolls were registered to Khan's address, email or cellular phone, and realized the 41 mail-in ballots were most likely part of that list.
Further investigation found Khan allegedly intimidated Lodi District 4 residents — all of whom are members of the city's Pakistani community — into voting for him.
He allegedly had many of them sign mail-in ballots that he filled out, and registered many of them to vote using his personal email address and cellular phone, according to the Sheriff's Office.
In addition, investigators allege Khan forged several signatures on his nomination papers needed to run for city council.
Khan is facing 14 counts of voter fraud, including seven charges of signing false names to petitions.
Other charges include causing, procuring or allowing false voter registration of self or another person; submitting fraudulent registration to the Secretary of State; submitting a fraudulent candidacy petition; aiding or abetting the commission of fraud at any election; false nomination/declaration of candidacy; fraudulently casting votes; and procuring/assisting/counseling/advising another not qualified to vote.