Professional Experience

Hired in 2019 as the Safety and Security Specialist at WINK News. FBI Special Agent 1996-2017 serving in Atlanta, New York, FBI HQ and Quantico, VA. Served in the Navy, both on active duty and the reserve, retiring as a Commander in 2011.

News Philosophy

Work to help the citizens of SWFL keep their family, home, cyber, and finances safe and secure.

Hobbies & Interests

Flying, fishing & luge.

Education

Masters in Homeland Security from American Military University, Bachelors in Communications from the University of Miami.

Likes best about Southwest Florida

The people, along with the weather, and no DC traffic!

Hometown

Poughkeepsie, NY.

Cybersecurity jobs

The growing need for cybersecurity professionals

Most of us cannot live without our cell phones or some sort of computer. And all of this daily technology use is creating a need for people to work in cybersecurity. Employers are looking to fill almost 500,000 of these jobs. WINK News Safety and Security Specialist Rich Kolko talk about why it’s so difficult […]

boat show

Boat scams sinking people’s hopes of owning one

Many people would love to own their own boat, but those dreams could quickly sink. The deals you see online may not be real. Someone is selling boats on the internet, but the problem is those boats don’t exist. You might see photos of your dream boat, in mint condition and at an amazingly low […]

Hackers steal ID’s and claim unemployment benefits in victims’ names

As if having your personal information being stolen isn’t enough, crooks are using a recent data breach to steal your money. Thieves are collecting unemployment money by using something vital to your everyday life – your driver’s license. Some people received a notice from Geico that there was a data breach and personal information may […]

North Collier firefighters saving lives on and under water

The North Collier Fire & Rescue Department does it all from air, land, and sea – and even under the surface. We’ve all seen the fire truck roll up on a scene, but what about the fireboat? Or firefighting scuba drivers? WINK News Safety & Security Specialist Rich Kolko and Videojournalist Eric Mills saw them […]

Most Wanted Wednesday: We feature some of SWFL’s most wanted suspects; May 19

This weekly WINK News segment features fugitives from justice right here in Southwest Florida. This is your chance to help out the community and give the tip that gets these people off the street. These suspects need to be found – and you can help. If you have seen them, reach out to Crime Stoppers […]

FBI sees spike in cybercrime complainants; Florida among top states

The year 2020 wasn’t a banner year unless you were a cybercriminal. The FBI saw a huge spike in online complaints from all types of scams. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) saw a spike in complaints in 2021. The FBI says complaints were up nearly 70% from 2019 to 2020. While it took […]

As travel picks up, so do scams. Beware of car rental scams

You get off the plane, go pick up your luggage and try to go rent a car. No matter where you try and rent a car, there is a shortage. Criminals are using the shortage to empty your bank account and fill up their wallets. The shortage is just another problem created by the COVID-19 […]

FTC reports huge spike in cryptocurrency investment scams

Since October 2020, consumers have reported losing more than $80 million to cryptocurrency investment scams, an increase of more than ten-fold year-over-year, according to a new data analysis from the Federal Trade Commission. In a new consumer protection data spotlight, the FTC breaks down the contents of nearly 7,000 reports received from consumers about these […]

Watch out for crooks offering illegitimate home contractor bargains

With more of us staying home during the pandemic than they might normally, you might have noticed things that need updating. Crooks are aware of that, and they are knocking on people’s doors with deals that are too good to be true. The end result could mean a disaster to your home and your bank […]