Court records have revealed that a key witness has been arrested in the high-profile illicit gambling case involving Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez.
Krishna Kumar Deokaran was apprehended on October 6 by Lake County officers to face a charge of money laundering.
The 50-year-old is alleged to have committed the acts between January and May 2024 across three Florida counties.
No further specifics have been divulged, but it is a notable update as Deokaran is one of the key witnesses in the overall case against the suspended Sheriff Marcos Lopez.
His involvement and status could directly impact the broader case against the Sheriff.
Lopez was arrested on June 4, as part of racketeering charges, after being accused of using his position to protect a massive illegal gambling operation that prosecutors say raked in over $21.6 million in dirty money.
Crucially, Deokaran was not arrested at that time, having been described in court documents as “an unindicted co-conspirator,” with prosecutors setting out that he owned and operated many of the illegal gaming rooms involved in the gambling enterprise.
Lopez’s estranged wife, Robin Lynn Severance Lopez, has now been arrested for a second time during the investigation, with the latest offense relating to bond issues.
Alleged gambling ringleader for Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez faces money laundering charge
— WFTV Channel 9 (@WFTV) October 28, 2025
Deokaran was “the man at the helm” of Lopez gambling operation
The activity was focused around “internet cafes” or social clubs, like The Eclipse and Fusion Social Club, that functioned as illegal casinos with slot machines and lottery games.
Following the charge made earlier this month by the Florida Office of Statewide Prosecution, Deokaran pleaded not guilty and posted a $20,000 bond, but his attorney, Dan Eckhart, has refused to comment.
In the lengthy 255-page affidavit filed in the case, as seen by ReadWrite, Deokaran was described as the man “who stood at the helm” of the gambling ring, which is thought to have made more than £21 million in its operations across Lake, Marion, Sumter, and Osceola counties in Florida.
The affidavit also detailed that Deokaran admitted to paying Lopez between $600,000 and $700,000 in gambling proceeds since 2020 to secure protection and expand the business into Osceola County.
During this arrangement, Sheriff Marcos Lopez is said to have upgraded his home and vehicle.
Image credit: HSI Tampa via X
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