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LEESBURG, Fla - Carol Cote, one of seven defendants charged in an alleged multi-million dollar gambling operation case involving suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez, has agreed to plead guilty in a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Cote entered a guilty plea to racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering charges. The details of the plea deal were not immediately released.
What we know:
Carol Cote, a Marion County resident named as a co-defendant in the racketeering case against suspended Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez, has pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy charges tied to an alleged multimillion-dollar illegal gambling operation based out of the Eclipse Social Club in Kissimmee.
Cote is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 13 before Circuit Judge Brian Welke in Lake County.
Details of Cote’s plea deal have not been made public, and prosecutors have not disclosed whether she has agreed to cooperate with investigators or testify against Lopez or other co-defendants.
Prosecutors say the operation generated more than $21 million in illicit proceeds. Cote was among seven people accused of participating in or helping manage the organization, which authorities allege Lopez used to help fund his election campaign for sheriff, and then protected while serving as sheriff.
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According to investigators, Lopez used his influence to shield the club from scrutiny, secure leases, and collect cash payments from the proceeds.
He was arrested on June 5 and later suspended by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who appointed Florida Highway Patrol’s Christopher Blackmon as interim sheriff. Lopez has pleaded not guilty and is set to stand trial Oct. 20 in Lake County.
The backstory:
The case stems from a months-long investigation by the Florida Attorney General’s Office, which alleges that Lopez and several associates ran an illegal gambling enterprise disguised as a private social club.
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A 255-page federal affidavit details how Lopez allegedly accepted campaign donations and cash bribes in exchange for using his office to protect the organization. Cote, described as the bookkeeper, was responsible for managing the group’s financial records, while co-defendant Sharon Fedrick handled the laundering of proceeds.
Who's who in the investigation?
Dig deeper:
Here's what we know about the seven people involved in the investigation.
- Marcos Lopez: Suspended Osceola County sheriff. He's accused of being a "silent partner" of Eclipse Social Club and using his influence to shield the illegal business from law enforcement overnight.
- Robin Lopez: The estranged wife of Marcos Lopez. She's facing charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to use or invest proceeds from racketeering.
- Krishna DeoKaran ("Kris"): Described as the leader of the illegal operation, overseeing financial and logistical framework.
- Ying Zhang ("Kate"): Described as an investor and co-business owner, helping fund the business, and partnering with DeoKaran to open new gambling locations.
- Carol Cote: Acted as bookkeeper, maintained financial records and helped manage funds.
- Sharon Fredrick: Served as the business's manager and "played a critical role in laundering proceeds."
- Sheldon Wetherholt: Helped facilitate property leases and utilities for the alleged illegal operations.
Timeline:
Lopez was arrested June 5, a day before Cote was taken into custody in Marion County. She was released on bond shortly after her arrest. Lopez’s trial before Judge Brian Welke is scheduled to begin Oct. 20 in the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court in Lake County.
Cote’s guilty plea marks the first conviction among the seven defendants.
The Source: This story was written based on information shared by the Osceola County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Department of Justice (FDOJ), Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. and from court documents filed in the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court in Lake County.