A recording leaked by an election challenger accuses Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno of misusing county funds to finance a Mercedes for his father, amongst different issues.
Michael Hole, Marceno’s challenger within the upcoming election, advised the Information-Press he recorded a name between him and Lee County honorary deputy Ken Romano. In line with Hole, Romano was conscious the decision was recorded with the intent to show it over to authorities.
Within the name, Marceno is accused of a cash laundering scheme that allegedly netted him high-value objects, together with the automotive for his father.
Hole stated he met with the FBI and U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace in Might. The FBI wouldn’t affirm or deny whether or not it was investigating the matter initially reported by the Florida Trident.
This is what to know:
Marceno accused of diverting cash from honorary deputy’s pay to fund father’s Mercedes
Marceno reportedly appointed Ken Romano, a Fort Myers jeweler, as an honorary deputy and employed him as a division guide. Romano was paid $4,000 a month, for no work, starting in January 2022.
Hole, a 17-year veteran of the sheriff’s workplace and former Inner Affairs commander, stated honorary deputies usually do not obtain salaries and are sometimes awarded the title for donations made to the sheriff’s workplace.
In line with the recording, Romano quickly bought a $1,700 month-to-month increase which he, in flip, paid to Marceno’s father in money for funds and insurance coverage on a Mercedes Benz.
Marceno needed to get his father a “good experience to drive forwards and backwards from the West to East coasts of Florida for kidney remedies,” Romano stated. Marceno discovered an S-Class for $119,000 at Mercedes of Bonita, and allegedly advised an undersheriff to provide Romano a pay increase within the actual quantity of the month-to-month automotive funds plus insurance coverage: $1,700.
“I knew it wasn’t right however (questioned) if it might be thought-about cash laundering,” Romano stated. “The child simply concerned me in a (expletive) crime.”
In line with the decision, Marceno and Romano’s relationship soured.
Sheriff Carmine Marceno accused of owing playing money owed
Romano alleged Marceno owes him a whole lot of 1000’s of {dollars} for bailing him out of playing money owed, jewellery he gifted him, and different objects, together with a $45,000 ring he stated Marceno gave his grandmother.
Marceno’s state monetary disclosure kinds filed with the State Ethics Fee affirm ongoing gaming habits.
In line with the kinds, Marceno claimed $290,183 in playing revenue in 2022. In 2023, he listed $168,696 of winnings and $27,030 in 2024.
Michael Hole accuses Marceno of ‘primarily, cash laundering’
Hole stated he carried out his personal investigation and discovered that Marceno used taxpayer cash to pay private payments and accepted extravagant presents – akin to jewellery and a piano.
He stated Marceno was, “primarily, cash laundering.”
“I felt if I didn’t do something with (this info) that I used to be simply as responsible as Carmine,” Hole stated. “He set the badge again 50 years.”
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This text initially appeared on Fort Myers Information-Press: Lee County Sheriff misused funds, leaked audio alleges. What to know
