Khan denies allegations

Lodi City Council candidate says he does not own business investigated for illegal gambling

Lodi City Council District 4 candidate Shakir “Shak” Khan on Friday denied the allegations against him that surfaced this week in a short social media post on his campaign page.

“I categorically deny the allegations relating to a business I do not own,” he said in the post. “I believe my political opponents have concocted this allegation to damage my reputation and campaign for Lodi City

Council.”

Khan was arrested by San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office investigators Wednesday on suspicion of money laundering, conspiracy to commit a crime, and illegally operating a gambling establishment at the American Smokers Club, located on Waterloo Road in Stockton.

His arrest was one of several during an investigation into illegal gambling establishments throughout the county, the Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.

Khan was released from San Joaquin County Jail on Wednesday evening.

He is running for the city council’s District 4 seat — which encompasses east Lodi between Victor Road, Kettleman Lane, Stockton Street and Cherokee

Lane — against incumbent JoAnne Mounce and challengers Natalie Bowman and Ramon Yepez.

“I understand he’s going through a tough time right now, but to blame his competitors is absurd,” Mounce said Friday.

On Thursday, Bowman’s campaign expressed sorrow that Khan had been arrested and reminded the community that he is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Yepez on Thursday said he didn’t know Khan, but the arrest surprised him.

“I want to reassure the residents of Lodi’s Eastside that I will not stop fighting for you to ensure our neighborhood is no longer neglected and has a powerful voice at City Hall,” Khan said in his post. “I will continue to

advocate for my community and ask that voters not allow politically motivated smear tactics to influence your decision on Election Day.”

Khan has retained Stockton attorney N. Allen Sawyer to represent him during court proceedings. Sawyer represented former Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva between 2015 and 2018 when money laundering, grand theft, embezzlement and firearm charges were brought against him.

Silva pleaded guilty to one charge of conflict of interest as part of a plea deal, spent 90 days in jail and three years probation in 2019, and was ordered to pay more than $19,000 in restitution to a youth charity organization.

Sawyer did not return a phone call seeking comment Friday.

Khan is scheduled to appear in San Joaquin County Superior Court Monday at 1:30 p.m.