Lottery Winner left penniless
23/10/2009 10:44:57
News has reached us today of an American Lottery winner left penniless after a shop worker pocketed his prize and skipped town. Willis Willis had won $1 million on the Mega Millions Lottery but the clerk claimed his prize and skipped the country leaving him penniless.
Willis Willis, the 67 year old Mega Millions Lottery winner in question is now out of stock. He went into the store and asked Pankaj Joshi to check this Mega Millions numbers and when he did so Joshi claimed the prize and disappeared.
An affidavit was then issued from the courts for the offence and Joshi’s former manager from the store near Dallas, called the lottery commission to voice suspicions about Joshi and were left reeling at the news that he had stolen the ticket.
Joshi has worked at the shop for five years and has now been charged with claiming a lottery prize by fraud, his bond is set at $10 million and if convicted he could face up to 20 years in prison.
Authorities have recovered some of the $750,000 after taxes from Joshi and have $365,000 in their possession although it’s not yet known if or when this money will be returned to Willis although the district attorney says they hope to return the stolen funds back to the victim.
The court case continues and makes a perfect point of case in carefully checking your own lottery tickets and not necessarily trusting clerks to check for you.
Written by Kath C
Page Last Updated: 24/11/2009 09:03:08
