Clerk caught after nabbing 30 books of scratch-off tickets

By Kate Northrop

FRUITLAND PARK, Fla. — A Florida woman was arrested after stealing 30 books of scratch-off tickets valued at nearly $36,000 in total.

A convenience store clerk admitted to stealing 30 books of scratch-off tickets and fraudulently attempting to claim winning tickets at a Florida Lottery claim center.

The Florida Department of the Lottery filed a criminal complaint against store manager Candace Leigh Dingman, 34, whose primary responsibilities included handling lottery ticket sales and stock.

More specifically, her role at the Circle K on West Miller Street in Fruitland Park required her to conduct lottery ticket transactions, activate scratch-off books, ensure the ticket cabinet is well-supplied for sales to customers, and conduct inventory, a criminal complaint reads.

In February 2023, Dingman activated 11 books of scratch-off tickets while on duty as manager.

In July 2023, Circle K District Market Manager Vickie Thorpe contacted the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, documents state. She informed officers that she received an email from Circle K Corporate Accounting alerting her to a charge of $35,971.68 from the Florida Lottery, which covered 30 missing lottery ticket books.

Filings go on to say Thorpe and the second Circle K District Market Manager questioned Dingman about the missing inventory, which prompted a confession that she had unlawfully removed 30 books of tickets between February and August 2023. The number of missing books included the 11 books she had activated in February 2023.

As it turned out, the Florida Lottery database revealed that an entire book of $30 "Florida 300X The Cash" scratch-off tickets was scanned using the mobile app within ten minutes in February 2023, which indicated that one person had the entire book in their possession.

A few days after scanning the tickets, Dingman had visited a Lottery office to claim a $1,000 prize from one of the tickets in the book. She filled out a claim form stating that she was the rightful owner of the ticket. Under Florida state law, a lottery player who signs the form acknowledges that anyone filing a false claim is guilty of a felony.

Dingman received a check for the winnings that same day.

As part of her confession, Dingman provided a written statement admitting her guilt. She was provided a list of all missing books and initialed the ones she unlawfully removed.

In December 2023, Dingman was charged with one count of Filing a False Lottery Claim. She was arrested on March 19, 2025 and is currently being held at the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Seminole County with a bond set at $3,000.

According to Dingman's case docket, she entered a plea of Not Guilty on March 21, 2025 and made a request for a trial by jury.