Multiple sources tell NBC2 that Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno has been served with a federal subpoena.
The investigation began after allegations of money laundering in which a former LCSO consultant claimed he was part of a kickback scheme he said was orchestrated by the sheriff.
After days of investigation, multiple sources, including a Lee County government official, say that a federal subpoena was served last week at two addresses: the sheriff's Six Mile Cypress office and his home.
A claim the sheriff's office is neither confirming nor denying.
NBC2 stopped by the sheriff's office Friday to see if he was available to discuss with the subpoenas.
His office said he was not available; however, they did release a response.
“As always and in all matters, the sheriff's office is working cooperatively and cohesive with our law enforcement partners.”
They continued by saying they refer questions regarding any other law enforcement agency's actions to those agencies.
NBC2 contacted the FBI and they said, “As a matter of policy, the FBI does not confirm the existence or status of any investigative work.”
According to FGCU constitutional law professor Dr. Pamela Seay, that is not uncommon.
“With an active investigation, it's more likely that not that all participants, including the sheriff, have been asked not to comment until the investigation is complete,” Seay said.
Not even the sheriff's attorney, Donald Day, is answering questions about the investigation.
Day was not available to answer questions after repeated attempts to reach him.
The investigation began after former Deputy Mike Hollow, who ran against Marceno in November and lost, said he met with the FBI after Marceno's longtime friend Ken Romano claimed he was being paid $5,700 a month for next to no work.
In a recording obtained by NBC2 and turned over to the FBI, Romano said if he went in five times in six months, he worked there, and it was a lot.
Romano said every month, he would take $1,700 and funnel it to Marceno's father so he could pay for a Mercedes.
“Every month, I would just give his father the money. I would take money and throw it on top of the medicine cabinet,” Romano continued in the recording.
NBC2 obtained 14 similar consultant agreements. Former state Sen. Lizbeth Benaquisto was being paid $9 thousand a month in taxpayer money to attend meetings and provide advice.
She got a total of $216,000 over two years.
Another contract paid $129,000 to a consultant to provide fitness training to deputies and $93,000 of taxpayer money under the name of a dog named Von Schnoodel, its owner part of the LCSO animal abuse task force.
Before the election the sheriff claimed the allegations of an FBI investigation were being politically driven however that claim was never mentioned today.
While NBC2 has not seen the subpoena, we're still working to get that, and everyone around this investigation is staying tight-lipped. Sources say all of the evidence gathered by the FBI will be presented to the federal grand jury on Dec. 3.