California Lottery investigating $1M payout

Aug 30, 2012, 2:58 pm (46 comments)

California Lottery

The California Lottery has not yet released $1 million that a Dinuba man reportedly won in a Scratcher game.

In late June Luis Osejo was identified as the new millionaire. He has yet to receive the money. Nor has the merchant who sold the winning ticket, Brain Park of Downtown Dinuba Market, received his $5,000 check from the Lottery.

Russ Lopez, deputy director for corporate communications with the California Lottery in Sacramento, verified that the winnings have not been paid because the Lottery's security law enforcement team is conducting an investigation.

"We're trying to do due diligence and get that money to the right person," said Lopez.

Henry Hernandez, district sales supervisor with the California Lottery, said, "There is an issue, but I can't share any information on that. There's an ongoing investigation with that particular ticket."

Hernandez said that every Lottery winner is asked a series of questions, and a background check is done to ensure that, for instance, no back taxes or child support payments are due. These would be taken out of the winnings.

It can take six to eight weeks to collect a Lottery win, said Hernandez.

It has been nine weeks since Osejo was announced as a Scratcher winner of $1 million.

When contacted by the Sentinel, Osejo refused to answer questions. He said only that the Sentinel "had the wrong information."

Dinuba Sentinel

Comments

nanaimo

well california lottery has to go their own investigation with a fine tooth comb and make sure that no one handed over the ticket to mr.luis osejo and in fact he is the original buyer of the ticket,if he is then no problem he will get the money

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

I'm hoping Luis Osejo gets his prize Smile I buy many tickets and from so many different places and I never check them immediately,

I check them every other sunday. That can be a problem if I went to claim a big prize and

they asked me when and where I bought the ticket and cannot remember Disapprove I hope the

stores cameras are not just fakes to keep away the hoodlums.

whiteballz's avatarwhiteballz

even if everything checks out, Osejo is never going to see a million dollars from the lottery. He's going to get $750,000 after 25% withholding and then pay another 10% in April. So it's $650,000 after federal income tax. Thankfully California doesn't have state income tax from lottery winnings.

JonnyBgood07's avatarJonnyBgood07

pffft..6 to eight weeks to get winnings????..that's pathetic

Cletu$2's avatarCletu$2

Caifornia is just checking to see if Mr.Osejo actually bought the ticket or is trying to claim the prize for someone else...like an illegal immigrant or someone else who isn't entitled to the money for some reason or other.

Littleoldlady's avatarLittleoldlady

An illegal immigrant can cash their own ticket.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Quote: Originally posted by Littleoldlady on Aug 30, 2012

An illegal immigrant can cash their own ticket.

That is very true. The lottery commissions are not going to send a message to the millions of illegal immigrants that if they gamble they won't collect.

The ratio of illegal immigrants who win pales in comparison with the ratio of those who never win and since they are already here, they might as

well help us pay this voluntary tax.Thumbs Up

haymaker's avatarhaymaker

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Aug 30, 2012

I'm hoping Luis Osejo gets his prize Smile I buy many tickets and from so many different places and I never check them immediately,

I check them every other sunday. That can be a problem if I went to claim a big prize and

they asked me when and where I bought the ticket and cannot remember Disapprove I hope the

stores cameras are not just fakes to keep away the hoodlums.

In my state the tix. have a retailer # ,but not the name,

Make a list of places you buy tix, w/retailer#

If you stop at a new place write store name on back of tix. when you sign it, also appx. time of buy.

when you get home add it to your list.

mcginnin56

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Aug 30, 2012

That is very true. The lottery commissions are not going to send a message to the millions of illegal immigrants that if they gamble they won't collect.

The ratio of illegal immigrants who win pales in comparison with the ratio of those who never win and since they are already here, they might as

well help us pay this voluntary tax.Thumbs Up

Nowadays illegal immigrants have more rights and privileges than ever before.

Depending on their length of time in this country, they are able to work here legally, and apply for US citizenship.   Patriot

 

And of course as previous posters have stated, may legally claim a big fat lottery prize, and laugh all the way to the bank.   LOL

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Quote: Originally posted by mcginnin56 on Aug 30, 2012

Nowadays illegal immigrants have more rights and privileges than ever before.

Depending on their length of time in this country, they are able to work here legally, and apply for US citizenship.   Patriot

 

And of course as previous posters have stated, may legally claim a big fat lottery prize, and laugh all the way to the bank.   LOL

Its crazy how indecisive the political parties are about illegal immigrants.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Quote: Originally posted by haymaker on Aug 30, 2012

In my state the tix. have a retailer # ,but not the name,

Make a list of places you buy tix, w/retailer#

If you stop at a new place write store name on back of tix. when you sign it, also appx. time of buy.

when you get home add it to your list.

Good idea, I'll try that and if it doesnt work because of my personal weaknesses I'll just limit the places that I buy from to one.

x1kosmic's avatarx1kosmic

Quote: Originally posted by maringoman on Aug 30, 2012

Good idea, I'll try that and if it doesnt work because of my personal weaknesses I'll just limit the places that I buy from to one.

No  maringoman

      I thought that wherever you bought the ticket   ( any ticket ),

that where it was bought,,  is in the Bar -Code, ...or all those numbers on the side of the ticket

                                       They know when it gets scanned

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

Quote: Originally posted by x1kosmic on Aug 30, 2012

No  maringoman

      I thought that wherever you bought the ticket   ( any ticket ),

that where it was bought,,  is in the Bar -Code, ...or all those numbers on the side of the ticket

                                       They know when it gets scanned

What we're discussing is when you're used to buying your tickets at different random places and random times and one of them turns out to be a big winner and when you go to claim it at the main lottery offices and they ask you a series of security questions such as where did you buy that ticket and what date and time. I know I'd be stumped.

Cletu$2's avatarCletu$2

Quote: Originally posted by Littleoldlady on Aug 30, 2012

An illegal immigrant can cash their own ticket.

This is just a guess,but I'm guessing that some illegals are afraid that they would be sent back to where they came from if they tried to cash in a million dollar scratch off ticket.My own personal thinking is that they should be deported.

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