Estranged wife of a Florida sheriff allegedly at the center of an illegal gambling empire has been accused of being a co-conspirator in the illicit enterprise

Robin Lynn Severance Lopez, 50, was arrested Monday for her alleged role helping to launder hundreds of thousands of dollars in gambling profits

Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez, 55, was arrested on June 5, allegedly for orchestrating an illegal gambling ring that raked in over $21.6 million in illicit profits

Though Robin has been estranged from her husband, with whom she co-parents their teen daughter – their divorce has been pending since 2023

Her husband a Florida sheriff, is accused of using his badge to protect a sprawling illegal gambling empire since 2019, prosecutors allege the former couple both profited from the gambling venture

Marcos Lopez, charged with first-degree racketeering and first-degree conspiracy to commit racketeering, is held without bond at the Lake County Jail

Robin Lynn Severance Lopez was booked into jail on a $400,000 bond and charged with conspiracy to invest proceeds from racketeering

Robin Lynn Severance Lopez [photo],the estranged wife of Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez, accused of using his badge to protect a sprawling illegal gambling empire, has been accused of laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars in dirty money

The estranged wife of a Florida sheriff allegedly at the center of an illegal gambling empire has been arrested and accused of helping to launder hundreds of thousands of dollars in dirty money, despite a six-year separation.
On Monday, three weeks after the initial arrest of her police officer ex, Robin Lynn Severance Lopez, 50, was swept up in the growing scandal.
Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez was arrested on June 5, accused of orchestrating an illegal gambling ring that raked in over $21.6 million in illicit takings, prosecutors said.

Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez [photo], was arrested June 5, accused of orchestrating a massive illegal gambling ring that prosecutors with profits of more than $21.6 million, prosecutors allege

The 55-year-old cop is facing two first-degree felony charges of racketeering and conspiracy to commit racketeering. He has since been held without bond at the Lake County Jail.
Booked into jail on a $400,000 bond and charged with conspiracy to invest proceeds from racketeering, Robin Lopez making her first court appearance on Tuesday, appeared stunned when the judge denied her attorney’s request she be released on bond of $50,000.
With her defense attorney, Michelle Yard, arguing there’s no evidence her client benefited from her estranged husband’s actions or received any illegal funds from him, the judge denied the request of a lower bond, with the prosecution arguing that there is the need to verify that bail bond funding is coming from legitimate sources.

Robin Lopez appears visibly stunned [photo], as a judge denied her attorney’s request of a $50,000 bond. The state argued that a higher bond was necessary to ensure her appearance at future hearings and institute verification that bail funds come from legitimate sources

Robin Lopez has been accused of playing a direct role in aiding her husband in the illegal gambling operation. The former couple both profited from the criminal enterprise prosecutors allege, despite reportedly being separated since 2019, with a pending divorce case in Brevard County. 
The state claimed ‘she helped to facilitate the movement of illicit money and receipt of illicit payments from other co-conspirators to Lopez, which is believed to have reached to be at least $600 to $700,000.’
Although Robin claimed to earn just $1,300 a month from a part-time job, investigators reportedly found $123,000 in her bank account.
‘She has meaningful financial resources, which interestingly, cannot be explained by a legitimate employment or a business source based on law enforcement’s review of her bank records and other filings,’ state prosecutor Colleen Monroe said, as reported by Spectrum News 13.

Robin Lopez was arrested Monday, June 23, after prosecutors claimed she ‘helped to facilitate the movement of illicit money and receipt of illicit payments from other co-conspirators to [Marcos] Lopez, which is believed to have reached to be at least $600 to $700,000’

The state also highlighted bank slips found during her arrest, showing nearly $180,000 in deposits made shortly after Marcos Lopez was arrested on June 5. 
‘Since the beginning of this conspiracy – through even today’s date – the defendant has had access to large amounts of cash, including deposits, withdrawals and acquisitions that far exceed her legitimate employment, business, or retirement income,’ Monroe added. 
Robin’s defense argued that she’s only being charged because of a W-2 form sent to one of the co-defendants six years ago, the publication stated.
‘If anything, it shows an isolated event. It was a one-time email that was sent per Marcos Lopez that indicated in the text of the email. There is also no indication here that she joined this criminal enterprise,’ Michelle Yard said.
Yard argued that Robin Lopez had ‘zero agreement’ to be involved in the alleged gambling ring, which included her estranged husband and four other defendants. 

Marcos Lopez was taken into custody [photo] on June 5 Lopez charged. He being charged with first-degree racketeering and first-degree conspiracy to commit racketeering is held without bond at the Lake County Jail

The defense argued that Robin’s willingness to provide collateral fora bond of $1 million for Marcos doesn’t make her a co-conspirator, emphasizing that although their divorce has been pending since 2023, they remain in contact due to their shared 15-year-old daughter

‘Of course, conspiracy requires that the government be able to show that there is a specific intent to engage in two or more predicate acts,’ Yard argued.
‘Here, they’ve only even alleged a single act. Whether that act is an act of racketeering or simply sending a W-2 is not a crime,’ she added.
Despite being separated, prosecutors alleged that Robin had previously attempted to help Marcos pay his $1 million bail.

It still remains unclear how much Robin actually knew. Was she fully aware of the operation as prosecutors insist or acting under pressure? The state points out that despite being separated, Robin had previously attempted to help Marcos pay his $1 million bail

However, the defense argued, Robin’s willingness to provide collateral for his bond doesn’t make her a co-conspirator, emphasizing that although their divorce has been pending since 2023, they couple who separated in 2019, remain in contact as they co-parent their shared 15-year-old daughter. 
‘The reality of that is that they have a child together and they are co-parents. Ms. Severance Lopez is not a co-conspirator. She is a co-parent,’ Yard said.
‘Of course, she doesn’t want the father of her child to remain in jail if he doesn’t need to, she added.
It still remains unclear how much Robin actually knew, as prosecutors haven’t said whether she was fully aware of the operation or acting under pressure.
The nature and extent of her communication with the other alleged co-conspirators also remains unclear.

The illegal enterprise, according to investigators, operated lotteries and slot machines throughout Lake and Osceola Counties. Prosecutors say Sheriff Lopez [photo], not only protected the operation but advanced its interests after taking office in 2021

If released on bond, she will be fitted with a GPS monitor and must surrender her passport and any firearms within 24 hours. She has also been barred from any further contact with her estranged husband.
Robin was booked into Lake County Jail on charges of conspiracy to commit racketeering and conspiracy to use or invest proceeds from racketeering. She is expected back in court on July 21.
Once celebrated as the county’s first Hispanic sheriff, prosecutors say Lopez not only protected the operation but advanced its interests after taking office in 2021.
The investigation into Marcos’s alleged criminal empire began in 2023. The illegal enterprise, according to investigators, operated lotteries and slot machines throughout Lake and Osceola Counties.