Welcome Guest
Log In | Register )
You last visited January 8, 2009, 4:21 pm

Police: Store clerk conned La. lotto winner out of $800,000

Police: Store clerk conned La. lotto winner out of $800,000

Posted: 9/26/2008 11:29:55 PM

Louisiana Lottery

A lottery loser may have been a big winner after all.

A joint investigation by Louisiana State Police and the state's Lottery Corporation determined on Wednesday that a clerk at a Belle Chasse convenience store conned a jackpot winner out of his ticket and a payoff of $800,000.

The purchase of the ticket took place in late May, according to local media sources.

When the owner brought the ticket back to the store to claim his prize, the clerk allegedly told him he was mistaken and kept the ticket.

Investigators said Melissa Trahan, 27, later sent the winning slip to her mother in Mississippi. That woman, Gwen Landry, drove to Baton Rouge and cashed it in for the big prize, state police said.

Months later, the actual purchaser contacted authorities, convinced he did indeed buy a winning ticket. That prompted the investigation this month.

"I hope she gets the maximum penalty that she can get by law, because this is a shame," said Cathy Chaisson, who had just purchased her own tickets in Belle Chasse. "The person who played the ticket should be getting the money."

What money the rightful owner will recover is not yet known.

Investigators said they believe the suspects accepted a lump sum payment of $560,000 and were planning to move to an unknown location when they were arrested on Wednesday.

State Police recovered bank records, two handguns and a small amount of marijuana when they executed a search warrant at Trahan's Belle Chasse home.

A sum of $389,000 was subsequently located in a Mississippi bank account. Those funds have been frozen.

Thanks to petergrfn for the tip.

Source: WDSU

Standard Member
Regular

Australia
Member #37542
April 11, 2006
276 Posts
Offline
Posted: September 27, 2008, 12:01 am - IP Logged Bottom Top

why o why the store clerk?  i guess if you are going to hand over your winning ticket put your name on the back. i mean getting your winnings is more important than staying annonymous.  if you hand over a ticket to someone ,   make sure it has ytour name on it., unless its the state HQ of lottery

i look at all lotteries as a  50-50  chance,

either i win or i don't

Standard Member
Senior
Pennsylvania
United States
Member #17377
June 10, 2005
1070 Posts
Offline
Posted: September 27, 2008, 12:38 am - IP Logged Bottom Top

correct Goose! Signing doesnt hurt even losing tickets  :)

Good detective work by the investigation team. Glad to read stories this story

kindness is a small gesture accepted by another 

 

 

ThatScaryChick's avatar - myselfsimis1
Platinum Member
Advanced
Idaho
United States
Member #56982
November 21, 2007
1866 Posts
Offline
Posted: September 27, 2008, 12:42 am - IP Logged Bottom Top

I hope the guy gets his money back and those people get prosecuted if they are guilty. However, if I knew I had a set of winning numbers, there is no way I would just hand the ticket over to a store clerk. No way.

MaddMike51's avatar - Lottery 050
Standard Member
Regular
S.E.Iowa
United States
Member #59008
February 18, 2008
366 Posts
Offline
Posted: September 27, 2008, 1:09 am - IP Logged Bottom Top

This is the reason that Iowa (& some other states) require that you sign the ticket before cashing it or having the clerk check it for you.Its a pain in the butt signing scratch offs to collect a dollar or two,but it keeps the clerks honest.

Lotto*Love's avatar - lips
Standard Member
Regular
Washington *state*
United States
Member #62495
June 14, 2008
189 Posts
Offline
Posted: September 27, 2008, 1:27 am - IP Logged Bottom Top

Man I'd be so mad! Then again, I probably would never take my ticket to anyone at a store.  Times are tough right now and people are doing some crazy things to make (or steal) a buck.

I don't care how poor I am, I could never do that to someone.

I wonder what a winning scratcher looks like..lol

Surrender You can run, but you can't hide mighty Jackpot...surrender to me at once!

Standard Member
Regular
Fairbanks, Alaska
United States
Member #23813
October 13, 2005
89 Posts
Offline
Posted: September 27, 2008, 4:00 am - IP Logged Bottom Top

"Winners never cheat and cheaters never win!!"  I am glad they were able to catch the clerk who stole the ticket.  Let this be a lesson to all to either check your tickets on line, on the evening news or in the newspaper. It also helps to sign the ticket.  Just hoping that my numbers hit soon, The way the economy is looking a dollar is not even worth a dollar right now.  Why doesn't the goverment bail out people who are struggling instead of these financial institutions that got us into this mess.         

 

                                                                                                                What?               

Standard Member
Senior

United States
Member #13375
March 30, 2005
1112 Posts
Offline
Posted: September 27, 2008, 10:06 am - IP Logged Bottom Top

$389K could buy a big bag, I imagine. LOL

Prince of Insufficient Light ~ Ruler of Heck
"The Earth moves around the Sun." -- some 'crazy' guy, 1632
diamondpalace's avatar - thb
Platinum Member
Everyday I am Hustling
Regular
Atlanta
United States
Member #60771
April 12, 2008
561 Posts
Online
Posted: September 27, 2008, 11:18 am - IP Logged Bottom Top

I can understand if it is a mega million ticket with 300 millions + jackpot...but this? lol

On a serious note, don't steal!

My Observations & Systems: [All States: 4 x 3][4 of 7 Technique][Mega Groups #]

Standard Member
Regular

United States
Member #26687
November 16, 2005
125 Posts
Offline
Posted: September 27, 2008, 1:27 pm - IP Logged Bottom Top

I've never understood people who don't check their numbers themselves on a lotto ticket.   Even when a Powerball jackpot gets over 300 million I saw someone at my local gas station hand over his ticket to see if he was the winner.    Would you hand over a check for a million dollars??   If your ticket is a winner then that's the only proof you have!!  Treat it like you would a LARGE check.   Like the poeple you hear about throwing a ticket in a junk drawer or find it under there bed and it turns out to be a winner.   

 

Someday my Jackpot will come!!   "BIG "lottery" game hunter....lol