Once, the attorney of an accused co-conspirator in a large-scale illegal gambling case involving Osceola County Sheriff Marcos R. Lopez was falsely convicted of both illegal gambling and racketeering.

In connection with the operations of Allied Veterans of the World, a chain of sweepstakes cafes that donated a portion of its profits to veterans' causes, Kelly Mathis was sentenced to six years in prison in 2013 on one count of racketeering, fifty-one counts of conducting an illegal lottery, and fifty-one counts of possessing illegal slot machines.

He was exonerated three years later after an appellate court found — among other things — that prosecutors had failed to provide evidence at trial that he was functioning as anything except a lawyer for Allied Veterans.

Arrest of the Sheriff

Mathis is now an attorney representing Krishna "Kris" Deokaran, who state authorities have publicly identified as the Eclipse Social Club's owner, according to local NBC affiliate WESH. The company in Kissimmee, Florida, is accused by authorities of operating an unlawful lottery and housing illicit slot machines under the pretense of a respectable arcade.

On June 5, Sheriff Lopez, 56, was taken into custody by police on suspicion of racketeering and conspiracy to conduct racketeering. He is charged with having a "multifaceted role" in safeguarding and growing an illegal gambling organization that made over $21 million in earnings and was focused around the Eclipse club.

There is no proof that Mathis is serving as anything other than Deokoran's attorney, and he has not been charged with a crime. The lawyer's name appears as the club's "registered agent," which is a standard legal title for lawyers and is not proof of misconduct in and of itself.

In light of the Lopez probe, Mathis's participation at a Lake County Commission meeting in April 2024 has gained further significance, according to WESH. He pushed commissioners to uphold the county's game room supervision code during the session, claiming that none had been prosecuted and that the regulations provide much-needed structure.

According to Mathis' remarks, while he was Deokaran's lawyer, he was openly promoting policy ideas that had an impact on his client's company.

"Malicious Prosecution"

Although Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll (R) was not charged with any crimes, the Allied Veterans case was well-known at the time because it caused her to leave due to her connections to the company. She had appeared in one of Allied Veterans' TV commercials, praising the organization's efforts to support veterans' organizations. Her PR business had worked with Allied Veterans.

In a 2019 federal complaint that Mathis filed against the state of Florida for unfair prosecution, the lawyer indicated that he still believed Allied Veterans to be a legitimate corporation.

Because Mathis had successfully defended a number of sweepstakes café owners against the Sheriff's Office's attempts to close them down and seize their assets, the $50 million complaint alleged that former Seminole County Sheriff Don Eslinger harbored a grudge against Mathis.

In the end, the case was dismissed due to immunity, a ruling that was affirmed on appeal.