That is the way that it is in Ohio we have to wait 4 to 6 weeks for the money because they do have to collect the money from the other states as well but hell now a days just telling people and vendors and stuff like that you won is just as good as the check .. if I win I will straight live on the credit of the title " the Lottery Winner" lol but yeah it is bad but we do have to wait

"It was only after more leads surfaced that authorities changed the charges to making unsworn falsification, which carries a two-year maximum."

Here's what the coworker was charged with. I'd guess that when he turned in the ticket lottery officials asked him questions as part of the normal verification process, and the questions included things like whether he was the lawful owner of the ticket and if he was the one who purchased the ticket. Saying you didn't buy it and aren't the lawful owner might make it tough to claim the prize, so what answers do you think he'd give?

As far as the other guy, it might have been planned as a joke, but it sounds more like a genuine attempt to claim the prize while putting the risk on somebody else.  If it was just a joke and he didn't immediately come forward to clear his coworker he deserves to go to jail just for being the kind of guy he is.

As far as a 4 to 6 week wait, if they can find out whether or not there are winners in the first few hours after a draw they can also find out exactly how many tickets were sold and exactly what the prizes are at least that fast, and the money could be transferred the next business day. That's usually a lot faster than the winners come forward.  Since there are various things they'll withold they need to do some kind of background check. Verifying who you are and checking to see if you owe child support, or anything else may well take a while.

It's my understanding that in both MegaMillions and PowerBall other than the jackpot, prizes are paid by the State that sells the winning tickets.  The states contribute ~30% of sales to the jackpot and use the 20% left after taking their 50% to pay the lower tiers winners.  That's the reason California have a different system for its winners, only the jackpot winners are paid the same in all states.

Obvious when these guys tried to cash in their ticket, the state wasn't expecting a winner from that area but probably needed 4-6 weeks to investigate if the system had made a legitimate mistake or if someone was trying to pull a fast one before accusing anyone of a crime.  The fact that the joker was willing let his co-workers actually turn in the false ticket and they were willing to say that they actually bought the ticket make them all crooks.  People have turn in tickets they've found and said so when they claimed them so the lottery could investigate before giving them a check.

In Maryland when you go to lotto headquarters they run your social security number your driver license number and any other numbers associated to you. They know within minutes what you owe if you owe or if there are warrants for you, outstanding parking tickets, judgments the works. This is a state run office.

---

The guy that forged the ticket was an idiot. He should have stopped the guy before it went as far as it did, to late now as Baretta used to say if you do the crime be ready to do the time.

i found a two dollar scratch ticket on the road and took it to a store and i couldn't cash it. i then took it to the lotto office and found out it was a stolen ticket. she asked me where did i get the ticket and i told her on the ground near my house. then she told me it was a stolen ticket. i said just keep it because i didn't need any problems. not for two dollars.

If it was truly a joke, he let the joke go to far: When he let his co-workers go to the Lottery Office.

PS: Baretta used to say:

"If you can't do the time, don't do the crime!"

Thanks: For the walk down Memory Lane.

ok, what I dont understand about that is how do they know if a scratch of is stolen? When I buy my scratch offs they dont scan them in as paid for they just ring them up and I pay and off I go ????

Before your Lottery Agent puts the Pack of Tickets out ForSale: He scans the Pack to Activate the Numbers in the Lottery System: In other words: If the Pack isn't Activated all the Tickets in that pack are considered Stolen.

needs to go to jail.do not pass go.do not collect lottery winnings.....

Ohhhh Ok, well i knew that they had to activate them yes , So SOMEONE stole them and they werent activated and decided to turn the one they found in  LMAO  NOW THATS GOTTA SUCK  =))=))=))  Sucked to be them! I mean I can see both sides ... 99 % of people who play lotto CHECK THERE STUFF REAL WELL. But ya never know when a Elderly person with bad eyes or little to no knowledge may sratch it off and not realize it is a winner  and well its jut your lucky day. But on the same sense I wouldnt even take the chance ya know

I disagree with the wisdom: "Never cash in a ticket you didnt buy." My cousin buys tickets and hands them out each christmas. we all delight in seeing who gets winners! the  philosphy then would mean we cant cash in our claims because we didn't buy them? Please. Being cautious is one thing. Making a blanket statement seems over the edge on this matter.

As to the two fellows being charged. I ask you this riddle. You are handed a ten dollar bill in change from a purchase at the grocery store. Is it real or is it fake? How many of you would just place it in your pocket as part of your days change and move along. You go to another store, using the ten and bam! Your held for questioning for passing a counterfeit bill. Are you guilty or not?  The law says you are. The courts would consider your circumstance. So be wise when passing judgement based on the law, Youd be surprised at how sometimes the circumstances arent always known til after the pre-judging by the masses is silenced.

If I found a ticket like that.. I would have been trying to figure out who it belonged to. If no one claimed it maybe have the agent it supposedly sold at to check it using the barcode or serial # (not saying anything else about it). Being it was copied from a non-winner it would have simply said "sorry - not a winner". I'd also be able to tell if it was Photoshop'ed.

The reason the victim was duped is because he tried to take something not meant for him. If that was a real ticket it wasn't his either.

One big problem with PA tickets is that they use mostly plain white paper. NJ ones have a pattern that would be difficult to hide a paste-up on.

When I had 5 of 5 on JC5, I validated it at the nearest ELE7VEN and he ran it and it came back "FILE CLAIM" and the amount won. I had to fill out a claim form and mail it with the ticket attached to Lottery HQ in Trenton. About 3 weeks or so later I got a check from them for the amount minus taxes withheld.

If life throws me a banana, I'll slice it up over a bowl of cereal and 2%. 

It looks like a joke with a really long punchline.

Charges against the victim should have been dropped as soon as it was discovered he had nothing to do with making the fake ticket.  If the lottery doesn't know money makes people do strange things by now they should get out of the greed business.

Anyone who wins big through a ticket buying service might to have to say they bought the ticket or take the chance the lottery won't pay it like happened in Texas.

A lottery ticket is supposed to be a bearer intrument. Even if you said you found it they have to give you the money within a reasonable time.  BobP 

"Charges against the victim should have been dropped as soon as it was discovered he had nothing to do with making the fake ticket.  If the lottery doesn't know money makes people do strange things by now they should get out of the greed business."

He was the unfortunate victim of a prank and should get a slap on the wrist. Maybe even probation and community service. He probably shouldn't have lied and admitted he found it, but I don't think he should get jail time. If I found a wallet with a winning ticket, I would contact the owner and hope he'd be generous, but a lottery ticket by itself doesn't have someone's ID on it.