Store owner guilty of stealing lottery ticket, claiming it as his own

Comment #19

lottocalgal — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:34:34 GMT

I don't understand some people, there are just way too many (free) sources to find the actual numbers or game rules for scratcher. On the odd occasion when I do play a scratchers, I only play th tickets where I can figure out the winnings. California has some odd solitaire, poker and bingo tickets that are quite difficult to under so even though they have the (rare )decent odds, I avoid them because I'd have to rely on the clerk to explain wny winners. I noticed that not all the machines say HOW... [ More ]

Comment #18

JWBlue — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 01:38:33 GMT

It was absolutely the right thing for the lotter commission to give them interest. The cashiers are agents of the lottery commission.

As for why the lady would trust the cashier. Some people just aren't smart.

Comment #17

Todd — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:27:32 GMT

Thanks for the props. I actually avoided the article you posted the link for because it was not as good.

Comment #16

LottoLin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:32:53 GMT

Yes you can check your own tickets that are the on line tickets. But the scratch off tickets they rip you off. I had a ticket and and it had a bonus on it, I knew I won so much plus it said $20.00 bonus. I took it to the retailer on the corner, who always had his kid and some of his friends in there running the business. I gave him my scratch off and he gave me my money minus the bonus. I argued that I get $20.00 for bonus. He said he didn't know how the tickets were read and he scanned the tick... [ More ]

Comment #15

KY Floyd — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:40:35 GMT

The article here is a pretty lousy one. There's an article that explains a bit more of the story here:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hvlGsTtG6NFOC07S9oS1ZBs3Iw0AD9CCOM0G0

It clears up most of what was asked here, but doesn't say anything about why the investigator didn't figure it out quickly. Two of the members knew the jackpot had been claimed, so you'd think the first order of business would have been to go to the lottery and find out who claimed the prize. The artic... [ More ]

Comment #14

PERDUE — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 04:33:55 GMT

As Otis,from Back at the Barnyard, would say:

OH MILK ME!!!!!! HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!!!

Although this story is sooooooo tempting, I refuse to give in to the urge!

Well maybe just a little.

Accountability to the original ticket holder(s) can't be factored out no matter how many excuses you can come up with. A thief is a thief and there is no excuse this man can create to justify his theft. Why did three of the group initially hire a private investigator to look at the fourth member eve... [ More ]

Comment #13

charmed7 — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 03:04:19 GMT

I agree DP, they never seem to learn, why would cheat people out of their winnings

And he got GREEDY with it.... ONE of 7 deadly sin GREED

Comment #12

RJOh — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:07:05 GMT

I not only check my tickets but high-lite the winning numbers using a pink marker and I never ask the clerks to check them but to cash them.

Some of the larger retailer has terminals that announce you have a winner when winning tickets are scanned and the clerks return the tickets to the customers whether they are winners or losers.

Comment #11

rdgrnr — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:57:17 GMT

This story also makes you wonder about the high rate of wins by lottery retailers mentioned in previous news articles.

Maybe this is a lot more common than we think.

Comment #10

maringoman — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:47:58 GMT

People like me who check their tickets 2 times before handing them over to the store employee

to validate them if they are winners never seem to win. Maybe I should stop checking them huh? ha ha ha

Comment #9

MADDOG10 — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:17:37 GMT

What everyone should realize is that this happened in Canada, not the U.S.A.. Their guidelines and laws are different from ours.

I agree although I would have set bail at a much higher denomination, simply because he is a higher flight risk...

Money, sure does strange things to some people...! Stupidity....

Comment #8

rdgrnr — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 20:57:37 GMT

Good point, TigerAngel. At 62 yrs old and facing prison til he's 76, I'd say he's a major flight risk and $60,000 ($6,000 cash) bond is way too low. Being caught inflagrante delicto doesn't bode well for his future either. The judge who set his bail should do his time if he splits.

Comment #7

TigerAngel — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:59:02 GMT

Out on bail? I dought this guy will stick around. Good luck catching him again once he flees the country.

Comment #6

diamondpalace — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:49:56 GMT

Another one huh? They can't seem to learn.

Comment #5

rdgrnr — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:39:35 GMT

This is a good example of a Lottery Commission doing the right thing.

The people got all their money back plus interest even after the thief had spent part of it.

The Texas Lottery Commission could learn something from the Canadians on this matter regarding the man in Texas who also had his winning ticket stolen by a cashier. They however, unlike Canada, told him he's on his own.

Congrats to the Canadian Lottery and law enforcement for doing the right thing. The Texas Lottery Commission... [ More ]

Comment #4

TnTicketlosers — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 17:05:08 GMT

Thats why I play in certain stores...Get the drift

Comment #3

NYSlugger 777 — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:21:17 GMT

Sometimes ppl are first time lottery players or unexperienced players, and some arent sure how to check if they won so they go to the lottery store and ask the store clerk. This isnt the first time a story like this has come up in LP or any other news I have read.It's a common scam. The victim ask the clerk if they have won anything, the clerk will say no the tickets no good pretend to throw it out and pick it up and cash it themselves once the victim has left the store.It's easy for me to find... [ More ]

Comment #2

TheGameGrl — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:17:37 GMT

OKay here goes yet another article which I am guessing folks will side one of two ways.

Those who hold the ticket group responsible, because gee after all shouldn't they be checking their ticket BEFORE going in to get claim prize. Never mind that some places DO NOT have the scan system that allows the customer to see first hand if its a winner or its value for claim.

Beside its a bearers instrument so the Guy who claimed it is the Final winner . (NOT!)

or Secondly

the Posters who hav... [ More ]

Comment #1

sully16 — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 15:11:04 GMT

what kind of dum dum doesn't check their own numbers when millions are at stake ? call the lottery hotline go on line ,get a print out. never fork your tickets over to somene you don't know. i hope the other 3 friends convince dum dum to get common sense classes. maybe they need classes to .hold on to your losers if you win you can claim them as losses.

Store owner guilty of stealing lottery ticket, claiming it as his own

Lottery Post — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:54:42 GMT

Faces up to 14 years for claiming $5.75 million prize

A former convenience store owner pleaded guilty Thursday to fraudulently claiming a $5.75 million winning Canada Lotto 6/49 ticket as his own.

Hafiz Malik, 62, validated the lottery ticket at his now-closed convenience store near Dufferin Street and Dupont Street in June 2004 but didn't tell his customer she had won the jackpot.

Seven months later, he claimed the prize, according to an agreed statement of facts read out in court.... [ More ]