On Monday, federal prosecutors filed a money laundering charge against Shakeel, along with an agreement signed by Shakeel to plead guilty. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Shakeel’s lawyer, Richard Coad, declined to comment on the cases.

In their memorandum, Shahzad’s lawyers wrote that Shahzad came from very modest means in Pakistan, and as an adult moved to New Jersey and then to Milwaukee. He later leased a gas station in Cross Plains, then another in Middleton. Shahzad bought his first gas station, on East Washington Avenue, in 1999.

Today the company has annual gross sales of $63 million and employs 50 people. Shahzad’s lawyers wrote that he has given jobs to people needing a second chance and has donated generous sums without fanfare to his mosque.

As general manager, the lawyers wrote, Shakeel was responsible for merchandise in the stores and discussed selling synthetic cannabinoids with Shahzad because their competitors were selling it. They wrote that early on, police sent “mixed signals” to retailers about whether the substances were illegal.