A new affidavit claims suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez helped expand and protect an illegal gambling ring that generated over $21 million
Recently unsealed records tied to allegations against suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez say the lawman allegedly supported the growth and protection of a multimillion-dollar gambling network spread across Central Florida.
$21M in Five Years
In a 255-page affidavit, prosecutors detailed the way Lopez was directly involved in finding new locations, shielding operators, and accepting large sums of money in cash. In total, investigators say, the network generated over $21 million in total between 2019 and 2024.
Lopez, who was accused of turning into a “silent partner” in at least one of the illegal business operations, was arrested in June on racketeering and conspiracy charges. He has pleaded not guilty to the first-degree felonies and is currently out on a $1 million bond.
His arrest warrant said that he “initially joined the operation in exchange for political campaign contributions and personal payments”…