Estranged Wife of Suspended Florida Sheriff Arrested Again in $21M Gambling Case

The estranged wife of suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez has been arrested for the second time in relation to the alleged $21 million illegal gambling operation.

Her arrest deepens the fallout from the alleged illegal gambling ring that also led to her husband’s suspension.

New Arrest Tied to Bond Application

Authorities took Robin Lopez into custody on October 23 on an out-of-county warrant, according to WESH 2 News. The warrant, her attorney said, came “without warning” while Lopez was home with her child.

She now faces a new charge for “providing false or misleading information or omitting material information in connection with an application for bail or for modification of bail bond.”

Her lawyer, Michelle Yard, said the warrant relates to Lopez’s earlier $400,000 bond, granted in July, on a conspiracy-to-racketeering charge. The warrant refers to her profiting from her husband’s alleged role in the illegal gambling network.

Yard told the news outlet that she doesn’t believe her client provided any false information. She said she has not yet received the probable cause affidavit from prosecutors. She added that “everything else is sealed.”

Criminal defense attorney Rajan Joshi, who is not on the case, told WESH that the new charge could stem from statements or financial disclosures made during the bond process. However, he emphasized it is “not a charge we see often.”

The court has scheduled Robin Lopez’s trial on the original conspiracy charge for next month.

Sheriff Marcos Lopez’s Alleged Role

Suspended Sheriff Marcos Lopez, who faces his own criminal case regarding the illegal ring, faces accusations of allegedly providing protection, inside information, and political influence. In return, he received bribes, cash, and free gambling credits at illegal arcades across Central Florida.

According to prosecutors, Lopez used his office to warn his partners about potential enforcement actions, shielding the business from future ones. He also assisted in securing property leases and zoning approvals used for the illicit casinos. For his role, he allegedly collected between $600,000 and $700,000.

He has maintained his innocence, claiming politically motivated charges.

Lopez’s Defense Team Seeks to Dismiss Case

Last week, Lopez’s defense team asked a judge to dismiss the case. It claimed that much of the alleged activity was not illegal in Lake County at the time. According to the motion, the Lake County Commission approved an ordinance that laid out the permitting process for “Electronic Game Room Facilities.”

“Under the ordinance, the gambling establishments would be issued permits to operate legally; the Ordinance was capped at no more than 25 permits,” the motion said. “The ordinance further required submission of an application, payment of fees, and annual inspections under the new ordinance.”

The defense team argued that Krishna Dekeoran, the owner of the arcades and alleged ringleader, had permits to operate them.

In 2024, the Lake County Board of County Commissioners repealed the ordinance legalizing electronic game room facilities.

Lopez’s defense team also argued that prosecutors failed to “link the defendant” to the alleged crimes in Lake County, calling for dismissal of the charges. Furthermore, they argued that since the remaining alleged criminal activities occurred in Osceola County, the charges should be dropped since they were filed in the wrong county.

Others Have Already Pleaded Guilty

Three co-defendants have now pleaded guilty to racketeering-related charges tied to the case. At the beginning of the month, Carol Cote took a plea deal for a reduced sentence. She was the alleged bookkeeper of the illegal enterprise. Notably, she reportedly preserved six years’ worth of financial statements and spreadsheets, even as Deokaran asked her to destroy them.

A week later, Sharon Fedrick and Sheldon Wetherholt also entered plea deals. Prosecutors describe Frederick as a manager within the illegal enterprise, and they say Wetherholt helped secure sites and leases for the arcades.

The plea agreements could further strengthen the state’s ongoing prosecution of Lopez and related defendants.