Home
+
Published : 21 Dec 2025, 11:24 PM
A Bangladeshi national has been accused in a US court of allegedly operating online platforms that sold fake templates of identity documents, including passports, social security cards and driving licences.
Zahid Hasan, 29, from Dhaka, faces nine charges, Montana District Attorney Kurt Alme said.
According to a media statement from the Montana District Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seized the domains of three websites used in the operation. The forged identity documents were allegedly sold worldwide through these platforms.
Six of the charges against Zahid relate to the sale and transfer of counterfeit identity documents. He also faces two counts over the use of fake passports and one count related to social security fraud.
In a Facebook post, the FBI said it had identified a Bangladeshi citizen accused of running illegal online marketplaces.
If convicted, Zahid could face up to 15 years in prison on each charge. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000, along with up to three years of supervised release after serving a prison sentence.
The Montana District Attorney’s Office said that between 2021 and 2025, Zahid operated several online businesses from Bangladesh, including websites named “TechTreek” and “EGiftCardStoreBD”. Through these sites, he allegedly sold counterfeit government identity documents, such as US passports, social security cards and Montana driving licences.
The forged documents were marketed for use in online bank accounts, social media platforms, digital currency exchanges and other online activities. Customers paid using virtual currencies, including Bitcoin.
According to investigators, a US passport template was sold for $12, a social security card for $9.37, and a Montana driving licence for $14.05. Over four years, Zahid allegedly earned $2.9 million from more than 1,400 customers across the world through the TechTreek website.
The District Attorney’s Office said that on May 13, Zahid accepted Bitcoin payments from a person in Bozeman, Montana, through the websites. He then transferred, or attempted to transfer, a US passport template, a social security card and a Montana driving licence.
