The FBI and U.S. U.S. Attorney's Office said this week that their case against Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno has been closed.
A letter sent to an attorney representing Marceno referenced a Nov. 17 date and confirmed the closure. The letter, to Attorney Donald Day, said the decision was based on “information presently known to the government.”
Marceno released a statement Tuesday that said: “I believe in the system. The FBI and the US Attorney’s Office investigated and conducted independent investigations. They have found no wrong-doing. It is clear that from the beginning these were politically motivated allegations and completely false."
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Marceno was the subject of a federal grand jury investigation for allegedly orchestrating kickbacks involving a $5,700-a-month agency consulting contract given to Bonita Springs jeweler Ken Romano and other matters. The grand jury met in Orlando, according to multiple sources.
Romano alleged he provided the sheriff more than $100,000 in gifts, including jewelry and cash for Marceno’s gambling debts.
In return he said he was given a no-work sheriff’s office consulting contract paying him $5,700 a month that included kickbacks to the sheriff’s father to make payments on a Mercedes Benz. Also under investigation, according to multiple sources, is work the sheriff had done at his home by sheriff’s office building contractors.
Marceno released a statement saying (quote) “I believe in the system. The FBI and the US Attorney’s Office investigated and conducted independent investigations. They have found no wrongdoing. It is clear that from the beginning these were politically motivated allegations and completely false. (unquote)
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