Florida Sheriff Accused of Racketeering ‘Sent Incriminating Emojis’
Posted on: September 16, 2025, 06:56h.
Last updated on: September 16, 2025, 06:56h.
- Prosecutors cite emoji texts as gambling scheme evidence
- Lopez allegedly received hundreds of thousands in kickbacks
- Eclipse Social Club raided amid illegal gaming investigation
The suspended Sheriff for Florida’s Osceola County, Marcos Lopez, who was relieved of his duties in June after his arrest on illegal gambling charges, could be incriminated by his use of emojis, according to state prosecutors.
Lopez, 56, was arrested in June on charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering in relation to his alleged involvement with a multimillion-dollar gambling ring.
Prosecutors accuse him of playing a “multifaceted role” in expanding and protecting a network of unlicensed “internet cafés” in Central Florida that generated more than $21 million and involved widespread public corruption.
Slots, Moneybag Emojis
In newly released court documents, prosecutors point to text messages allegedly sent by Lopez, including one that used slot machines and moneybag emojis, which they claim is one piece of evidence that the lawman was an active and enthusiastic participant in the scheme.
The new filings, reported by WKMG and other local news outlets, allege Lopez’s ties to Florida’s underground gambling world began in 2019 while he was campaigning for sheriff and was introduced to businessman Krishna “Kris” Deokaran.
Prosecutors claim Deokaran, who has not been charged, ran gaming rooms across Lake and Osceola counties. He told investigators he became friends with Lopez and donated $5,000 to his campaign, according to court records.
Manila Envelopes
Also named in the filings is Ying “Kate” Zhang, a Kissimmee, Fla. businesswoman accused of importing slot machines from China. Prosecutors claim Lopez promised Zhang protection if he won office, texting her: “Kate, nothing to worry … when I win, we start the first internet amusement cafe in Osceola County. You will be safe … because I will be your sheriff.”
Lopez later connected Zhang and Deokaran. The group eventually opened what became known as the Eclipse Social Club in Kissimmee in 2022, a venture that would ultimately gross more than $21.6 million.
Lopez received between $600,000 and $700,000 in cash kickbacks, typically in manila envelopes, while Zhang allegedly paid him $4,000 to $6,000 per month, according to the filings.
After deputies raided a restaurant following a fatal shooting in 2021, Lopez allegedly told Deokaran: “I got something for you … I shut that place down, it’s ours.”
The Eclipse Social Club later opened at that site.
Pulling Strings
In another exchange from 2022, Deokaran texted Lopez to say that deputies had turned up at the club and were threatening to shut it down.
Lopez allegedly replied, “Let me know if they say something. You should have no issues.” Deokaran later confirmed the deputies left without further action.
The Eclipse continued to operate until August 2024, when it was raided by a Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation (MBI) task force.
Less than half an hour earlier, Lopez, who had been pre-warned of the raid, phoned the MBI’s director to question whether state law clearly banned internet cafés. Investigators described the call as an apparent attempt to head off enforcement.
Lopez has pleaded not guilty and remains free on a $1 million bond. Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended him from office immediately after his arrest. He faces decades in prison if convicted.
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