Receipt shows Sheriff Marceno received $9,000 piano from same LCSO “ghost employee” alleging kickback scheme

For Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, jeweler Ken Romano was more than a close friend and gambling buddy – he was a “brother.”  

“My brother Kenny,” Marceno wrote on a campaign poster for Romano that’s framed on the wall of his jewelry store in Bonita Springs. “Thank you for all you do! You are the Best!”

According to Romano, it’s true – he did a lot for the sheriff. In an audio recording Romano claimed Marceno owes him a quarter million dollars after he paid off gambling debts for the sheriff and gave him expensive gifts, including a $40,000 ring for Marceno’s late grandmother. 

The sheriff can be seen on a surveillance video accepting a large stack of cash from Romano inside his store, K & M Fine Jewelry on Bonita Springs Road. Romano has provided no explanation of what the cash was for, but Marceno’s attorney, Donald Day, said it was part of a “legitimate transaction.” 

Now comes alleged proof of one of those gifts. The Florida Trident has obtained a receipt showing  Romano gave the sheriff a digital Roland grand piano at a tax-included cost of $9,035. The receipt shows Romano purchased the piano at Jay and Kay’s Organ and Piano Co. in Fort Myers on May 11, 2020, two years into Marceno’s tenure as sheriff, and had it delivered to Marceno’s home. 

State ethics laws require elected officials like Marceno to disclose all gifts valued at $100 or more. There is no mention of the piano, or of any other gifts, in any of his financial disclosure forms. The sheriff rejected an interview request to specifically discuss the piano.

“These are obviously politically motivated issues not related to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office,” Public Affairs Capt. Anita Iriarte wrote. “An attorney on behalf of Carmine Marceno will contact you. The sheriff’s campaign will also be advised of your questions.” 

The sheriff’s attorney, Day, didn’t contact the Trident or return a message left at his office regarding the piano. 

It’s the latest revelation in the Marceno scandal, which is rooted in a “no work” $5,700-a-month consulting contract Romano inked with LCSO in 2022. Romano alleged in the audio – which was recorded with retired LCSO veteran Mike Hollow – that Marceno instructed him to pay $1,700 per month in cash to his father, Carmine Marceno Sr.,  towards payments on a Mercedes Benz. The contract was terminated after six months when the sheriff’s office learned Romano was under investigation by another agency. The nature of that investigation is unknown. 

Hollow, who is running against Marceno as a write-in candidate and whose campaign provided the receipt and surveillance video showing the sheriff accepting the cash in the jewelry store, accompanied Romano to the FBI in May to file a criminal complaint against the sheriff.

Romano, while cooperating with the FBI, then began negotiating with Marceno to regain his $5,700-a-month consulting contract and also recorded the sheriff accepting a large stack of cash from him in his jewelry store. The status of the federal investigation – which Hollow said has included FBI-controlled phone calls between Romano and the sheriff – isn’t known. 

In a previous interview, attorney Day declined to provide specific answers regarding Romano’s allegations, saying that Marceno wouldn’t divulge details of his relationship while under the shadow of an alleged FBI investigation.