A video of security camera footage taken inside a Bonita Springs jewelry store shows Sheriff Carmine Marceno accepted a stack of cash this summer from the former contractor who has accused Marceno of using him to launder taxpayer money, an allegation the sheriff denies.
In the video, timestamped Wednesday, June 19, 2024 at 8:41 a.m., former Lee County Sheriff's Office contractor Ken Romano walks along the jewelry counter to Marceno, who stands slightly out of frame, and hands him a stack of bills. Marceno accepts the cash, and then walks into frame so his face is visible.
Romano has recently levied accusations against Marceno of involving him in money laundering, as well as accepting extravagant gifts and hundreds of thousands of dollars to cover gambling debts without repayment. He was employed for six months in 2022 by the sheriff's office as a communications and social media consultant, documents show.
The 26-second video was provided by Mike Hollow, a former Lee County Sheriff's Office employee and head of internal affairs. Hollow is running against Marceno for the office of sheriff as a write-in candidate and has made Marceno's conduct the primary focus of his campaign. Hollow said he got the video from Romano this summer.
Romano has declined to speak with The News-Press / Naples Daily News. His allegations have been made public by Hollow.
Marceno did not respond to questions from The News-Press / Naples Daily News sent both to his agency and his lawyer asking for an explanation of the money transfer between Romano and him.
When sent a copy of the video of Marceno and Romano, Donald Day Jr., a criminal defense attorney in Naples representing Marceno, told The News-Press / Naples Daily News that Marceno has "conducted legitimate sales transaction(s)" with Romano.
"Many of these false accusations are politically motivated," he said in an email.
Lee County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Anita Iriarte declined to comment on the video on the agency's behalf.
"These are obviously politically motivated issues not related to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office," she wrote in an email to The News-Press / Naples Daily News.
Marceno called the accusations of malfeasance "baseless" earlier this month but has since declined to provide further comment.
Allegations of washing money, gambling debts and a stack of cash
A second video of the exchange from another security camera in Romano's jewelry store Hollow published on his social media gave a closer look at Romano's face and the stack of cash. However, it showed only Marceno's back. The bottom bill on the stack of cash was folded over and clearly shows it was a $100 bill.
The videos are consistent with Romano's allegations that he gave Marceno money. Romano has said he covered the sheriff's gambling debts.
Hollow, a 17-year veteran of law enforcement, retired from the sheriff's office in 2016 after heading up the department's internal affairs unit. He returned in 2019 for roughly four years and spent those years as a K-9 handler.
Marceno joined the Lee County Sheriff’s Office in 2013, and he was appointed sheriff in 2018.
"In light of everything that has unfolded over the past week to two weeks, I think Carmine owes the residents of Lee County an explanation," Hollow said of the video. "Remaining silent is not an option.”
Hollow said Romano provided the security footage to the FBI. The FBI has declined to confirm or deny the existence of an investigation. The sheriff has not been charged with any crime.
Romano could not be reached for comment for this story. He declined last week to speak with The News-Press / Naples Daily News. Hollow believes Romano is cooperating with the FBI.
Hollow says the relationship between Marceno and Romano went back years.
In an audio recording taken in spring 2024 by Hollow with Romano's permission, Romano alleged Marceno owes him hundreds of thousands of dollars for bailing him out of gambling debts, as well as for luxury items such as a piano and a $45,000 ring.
In return, Hollow said, Marceno gave Romano a position as a contractor with the sheriff's office "because he was a friend. He wanted to help him out."
The contract, provided by the agency, was signed Jan. 13, 2022, and promised Romano $4,000 a month in exchange for what it called the jeweler's expertise on communications and social media.
Romano has a sparse social media presence, besides a blank Facebook profile and identical Instagram and TikTok pages dedicated to his business, KM Jewelry. The TikTok and Instagram profiles have 14 posts; the first was made Aug. 29, 2024.
Roughly three months later, on March 16, 2022, the contract was amended to give Romano a raise to $5,700 a month, documents show.
Romano claims that extra $1,700 went to Marceno's father, Carmine Marceno Sr., who would pick up the money in cash off a medicine cabinet in the back office of his jewelry store. Marceno Sr. has not responded to phone calls by a reporter asking for comment.
The money was to cover payment on a Mercedes-Benz S Class and car insurance, he told Hollow in a recording provided to The News-Press / Naples Daily News by Hollow.
“Every month I would just give his father the money,” Romano told Hollow in the recording. “I would take cash, I would throw it on top of the medicine cabinet and (Marceno Sr.) would come in and take it. Like, it was secretive, you know?
“I did it as a friend,” Romano said. But, he said later he realized this could be illegal.
“I knew it wasn’t correct but (wondered) if it could be considered money laundering,” Romano said. “The kid just involved me in a (expletive) crime.”
Marceno's lawyer: accusations are 'politically motivated'
Day did not respond to specific questions posed by The News-Press / Naples Daily News regarding the video of Marceno accepting cash from Romano, nor did he respond to a reporter’s request for an interview with Marceno.
“The person who has made statements to the press that he has info and went to the FBI is former employee, Mike Hollow,” Day said in an email. “He was under investigation for wrongdoing at the Agency and abruptly resigned to avoid having to answer any questions.
“A review of his history will show he has filed complaints with the FBI on numerous occasions with nonsense that was proven unfounded, once even alleging misconduct by a former FBI official," Day said.
Day said that neither he nor Marceno had been contacted by any law enforcement official regarding an FBI investigation.
“It appears that all these stories are based on a complaint of a political candidate who has a history of making false reports to the FBI,” Day said.
Hollow denied that he was ever under investigation at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, calling it “one thousand percent false," and saying he was happy to publish every evaluation he received while employed at the Lee County Sheriff's Office.
Hollow's personnel file, provided by the sheriff's office in response to a public records request, did not contain mention of any investigations into him.
It shows glowing commendations and evaluations for his patience with the public, ethical decision making when it came to conducting internal affairs, leadership qualities and saving the lives of several civilians, including a choking girl and a nonverbal, autistic child lost in the woods.
Hollow provided a copy of an all-hands email he sent to staff at the sheriff's office on his last day, Dec. 14, 2023.
"Today marks my final x87 time (sign-off) from the Lee County Sheriff's Office," he wrote. "After nearly 23 years in public safety, it's time."
Hollow went on to thank his K-9 partners, Maverick and Koa, as well as all the departments Hollow interacted with or worked in during his time at the agency.
"Let me clarify any rumors ahead of time," his email read. "No, I wasn't asked to retire or resign. No, I'm not under any IA investigation, no, I'm not a 'disgruntled ex-employee.' My obsession with operating at a high level just isn't there anymore."
Hollow also denied he had ever made an allegation or complaint against any current or former FBI official.
“If Carmine and his attorney are alleging I’m making those complaints I hope they have the evidence to back it up,” Hollow said.
Marceno reports more than $400,000 in gambling income in two years
Romano alleges that he covered Marceno's gambling debts over the years. While it is unclear if, or how much Marceno may have racked up in debts , his Form 6s, the state's financial disclosure form elected officials file annually with the Florida Commission on Ethics, show that Marceno does regularly gamble — and may gamble big.
In 2022, Marceno declared $290,183 in gambling income on his Form 6, won at Seminole Gaming in Hollywood, Florida. The following year, he declared another $168,696 in income from gambling at Seminole Gaming. In 2024, Marceno reported still more in gambling income: $27,030 won at Seminole Gaming.
Form 6s do not record losses.
All told, Marceno has recorded $485,909 in gambling earnings in three years on his financial disclosure form.
A history of ethics violations
Marceno has, in the past, been known to accept large gifts in his capacity as sheriff without reporting them, according to documents from the Florida Commission on Ethics.
In July 2021, an investigation into an earlier complaint said Marceno had possibly violated three Florida Statutes by using his position and public resources to fund and seek reimbursement for travel for himself and six other Lee County Sheriff's Office employees to a retirement celebration for a Florida Highway Patrol employee –– an event that held no public purpose such as speaking at an event, attending training, or earning a certification.
Marceno also used his taxpayer-funded work credit card to purchase items for himself and others, without benefit to the public, the report said.
In April of 2022, the Commission released a final report, stating that it had found he had likely violated Florida Statute 112.313(6) in taking a round-trip ride on a private plane. The report stated he did not request reimbursement for the trip, nor did he disclose it as a gift within 90 days, as is required by law.
However, ultimately, the Commission on Ethics dismissed the complaints against Marceno, though it did find evidence he accepted gifts over the $100 limit and did not report them.
Kate Cimini is the Florida Investigative Reporter for the USA TODAY-Network Florida, based at The News-Press and The Naples Daily News. Contact her at 239-207-9369 or kcimini@news-press.com.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Video shows Marceno accept stack of cash from former LCSO contractor turned accuser
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