CHRISTIANSTED – A California man admitted in federal court to documents fraud related to a 2012 Virgin Islands driver’s license application on St. Croix, authorities said.
Zakee Abdur Rasheed, 47, of Los Angeles pleaded guilty on Tuesday to possession of an identification document with intent to defraud, U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert and social media sources said.
According to a plea agreement filed with the U.S. District Court, in or about 2012 Rasheed arranged to, and did obtain a Virgin Islands driver’s license in the name of, and date of birth for, M. H.
The license bore the photograph of Rasheed’s wife, Ameena Ali. Rasheed intended that the false driver’s license would be used in an application for a United States passport by Ameena Ali in the name M. H.
Rasheed faces a period of incarceration of up to one year and a fine of up to $100,000.00. No sentencing date has been set as of yet.
On Facebook, Zakee Abdur Rasheed says he is the director of Management Information Systems (MIS) for the Juan F. Luis Hospital in Estate Diamond.
Shappert did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Virgin Islands Free Press.
In 2003, Rasheed was named as a defendant in a similar case in which he and several others were charged with federal crimes in connection with a St. Croix doctor, Kareem Abdulghani.
Abdulghani was accused of marrying multiple foreign women under Islamic law and falsifying documents so they could remain in the United States illegally.
Rasheed and all other defendants were found not guilty by a jury and acquitted of the charges against them about 15 years ago, federal court records indicate.
He also uses the name “Gregory Hicks” as an alias, according to court documents.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State – Diplomatic Security Service.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alphonso Andrews, Jr.
