Making crime pay in a good way: SWFL communities hit jackpot following illegal drug & gambling busts

LEE COUNTY, Fla (WINK) — Millions of dollars in cash and property seized during drug and illegal gambling busts in Southwest Florida are now being funneled back into the community.

For months, WINK Investigates has been tracking money confiscated by local and state law enforcement agencies through contraband forfeiture cases last year.

Contraband forfeiture is a legal process which allows departments to claim cash and property tied to illegal activity.

“If they were legal, and they were paying taxes, that money would be going back to the community because it would be part of their tax, the tax revenue for that community,” Executive Director of the Florida Gaming Control Commission Alana Zimmer said. “It's excellent that they're designating the money that way when it comes across from these illegal establishments.”

Under Florida Statute 932, law enforcement agencies can file forfeiture cases in court to obtain money and property used in those crimes. At least 25% of what is seized must be returned to the community, while the remainder is used by law enforcement agencies to fund equipment, training, and operational needs.

Data obtained by WINK Investigates shows more than $1 million in cash and property was awarded locally through forfeiture cases last year. Statewide, the Florida Gaming Control Commission seized more than $14 million, doubling the amount seized the year prior.

Records show the Lee County Sheriff's Office [LCSO] collected more than $500,000 during that time, with thousands of those dollars already having been distributed to local nonprofit organizations.

“Sheriff Carmine Marceno believes in turning bad money into good for the community," a spokesperson for the Lee County Sheriff's Office said in-part in an email. "LCSO utilizes the funds to give to an array of community organizations and projects within the Lee County Community to help residents and make Lee County a better place.”

It's something Al Kinkle, the founder of Kimmie's Recovery Zone, says makes a big difference. 

Kimmie's Recovery Zone is a nonprofit organization focused on providing resources to people in substance use recovery.

“Because of the donations that we get from the sheriff’s department and the like, I would say, they change people’s lives for the better home conditions, less incarceration, less mental health crises, fewer emergency room visits,” he said.

Data shows the Lee County Sheriff’s Office donated $15,000 to Kimmie’s Recovery Zone last year. Kinkle says that money helped them serve more than 7,000 people through the organization in 2025.

“That money is repurposed," he said. "We reinvest it in our people. We’ve distributed more than 100,000 units of Narcan so far and saved a tremendous number of lives this year because of the Narcan and because of what we do here as a resource center.”

Julia Norris says she turned to Kimmie’s Recovery Zone after hitting rock bottom. 

“I said, ‘I need help. I don’t want to be on the street anymore,’” Norris said.

She told WINK Investigates she lost her children and her home after years of addiction. She says the help she received through Kimmie's Recovery Zone last year saved her life.

“There were two options — to either get help or to die," she said.

Data shows United Way of Lee, Hendry, and Glades Counties also received $20,000 from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

President and CEO Jeannine Joy says the donation helps support 260 local nonprofit programs.

“Our mission is to improve the quality of life for all people in our community,” Joy said. “Every single dollar that’s donated is making a positive impact on somebody’s life. It’s giving them hope when they have none.”

Joy says she believes forfeiture funds help turn crime proceeds into something positive.

“It's making a huge impact,” she said.

It's why Zimmer says removing criminals from the streets is just one of the many benefits that come from illegal arcade and drug busts.

“Our seizure of illegal cash from 2024 to 2025 went from $7 million to $14,000,025,” Zimmer said. “That was obviously a large increase.”

SUBHEAD: Following the funds: contraband forfeitures from SWFL law enforcement agencies

Data shows the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office donated a portion of their forfeiture funds to the Florida Sheriff's Youth Ranches and the Fred Lang Foundation. In total, they donated $32,600 to numerous local organizations, data shows.

In Cape Coral, data shows the city approved $61,000 for police dive team training using forfeiture funds.

Below is a breakdown of contraband forfeiture funds collected last year by some local agencies:

• Lee County Sheriff’s Office: $575,000
• Collier County Sheriff’s Office: $141,512.89
• Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office: $175,771
• Cape Coral Police Department: $245,256

Several law enforcement agencies tell WINK Investigates much of the forfeiture money is still in the process of being donated or allocated.

WINK Investigates is committed to following this story and will update you as we learn more.