Welcome Guest
Log In | Register )
The time is now 6:16 pm
You last visited May 19, 2013, 6:16 pm
All times shown are
Eastern Time (GMT-5:00)

Former SC lottery employee accused of embezzling more than $200,000

South Carolina LotterySouth Carolina Lottery: Former SC lottery employee accused of embezzling more than $200,000
52
Rating:

RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. — A former employee of the South Carolina Education Lottery has been indicted by a Richland County grand jury on charges he embezzled more than $200,000 from the lottery, according to Attorney General Alan Wilson.

Specifically, Anthony J. McNeil, 55, was indicted on one count of embezzlement of public funds over $10,000. It is a felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine.

The indictment alleges that between April 2010 and August 2012, McNeil — while working in the lottery's finance division — concocted a scheme involving overcharges, bank account sweeps and redirecting of certain funds.

A warrant in the case says that McNeil — who was in charge of collecting money from retailers — tweaked the agency's computer system to not charge some ticket retailers while overcharging others. He would then call the retailers who weren't charged and tell them to deposit payments into an account he controlled.

All of these mechanisms resulted in McNeil's getting the money and the discrepancy not appearing in the Lottery's overall numbers, the warrant alleges.

After McNeil's arrest last fall, lottery director Paul Harper Bethea said the money involved was on the financial side of the operation and did not involve the games.

McNeil was fired Oct. 10 after lottery officials discovered accounting discrepancies and the investigation was turned over to SLED.

In all, some $226,439 was stolen, according to a SLED affidavit.

The Attorney General is handling the case because the lottery commission is a state agency.

The State

We'd love to see your comments here!  Register for a FREE membership — it takes just a few moments — and you'll be able to post comments here and on any of our forums. If you're already a member, you can Log In to post a comment.

11 comments. Last comment 1 month ago by jamella724.
Page 1 of 1
dr65's avatar - black panther.jpg
Pennsylvania
United States
Member #74607
May 2, 2009
13874 Posts
Online
Posted: March 20, 2013, 8:41 am - IP Logged

wow

I'm always dreaming up schemes to make some money. I sometimes spend hours scanning data, crunching
figures, moving information and then I go and move some money from one place to the other....bank, ATM to
lottery terminal or IVM.

Difference is that it's my own money I'm playing around with, not someone else's.

115 117 119 346 144 114 349 169 209

    sully16's avatar - sharan
    Housekeeper
    MICHIGAN
    United States
    Member #82269
    October 28, 2009
    13096 Posts
    Offline
    Posted: March 20, 2013, 9:51 am - IP Logged

    The greed just never ends, Keep us posted on this one, would like to see how this plays out.

    Hyper

      dallascowboyfan's avatar - tiana the-princess-and-the-frog.jpg
      Oklahoma
      United States
      Member #82920
      November 12, 2009
      3447 Posts
      Offline
      Posted: March 20, 2013, 11:45 am - IP Logged

      What the he**! How did he get away with this for two yearsWhat? $226,439 that's a lot of money hope SCEL is able to recoup some of the money back.

      Win BIG everyone.....White Bounce

      I Love Pink & Green....1908

        sully16's avatar - sharan
        Housekeeper
        MICHIGAN
        United States
        Member #82269
        October 28, 2009
        13096 Posts
        Offline
        Posted: March 21, 2013, 6:14 am - IP Logged

        What the he**! How did he get away with this for two yearsWhat? $226,439 that's a lot of money hope SCEL is able to recoup some of the money back.

        exactly, and you know someone had to know something, I think there may be a little helper.

        Hyper

          beaudad's avatar - animaniacs26
          Kentucky
          United States
          Member #60530
          April 3, 2008
          1370 Posts
          Offline
          Posted: March 21, 2013, 6:56 am - IP Logged

          exactly, and you know someone had to know something, I think there may be a little helper.

          Well.......the truth is he wasn't a bank......and therefore he did not have a "license" to steal........No No....beaudad !!!

          " I don't have a gambling problem,  I have a problem winning!"


            United States
            Member #111467
            May 25, 2011
            6323 Posts
            Offline
            Posted: March 21, 2013, 7:48 am - IP Logged

            My trust in state lottery employees has now been completely restored!    Smile       Hyper

            I always assumed they were were embezzling at least three times that amount.  Hiding Behind Computer

              Avatar
              Kentucky
              United States
              Member #33045
              February 14, 2006
              4166 Posts
              Offline
              Posted: March 21, 2013, 8:31 am - IP Logged

              Just in the last two days over $104 million was wagered on MM and PB so it would be difficult to notice a few thousand missing. With 43 states selling tickets each with thousands of retailers, I'll the total amount swindled each year is probably staggering. And that's not counting the money some of the players are cheated out of.

              Working in lottery finance allowed McNeil to be creative and steal more, but I'll bet there are many store clerks who combined make McNeil's theft a drop in the bucket.

                RedStang's avatar - horse zpse0195a80.jpg
                Dutchess , NY
                United States
                Member #121976
                January 21, 2012
                1336 Posts
                Offline
                Posted: March 21, 2013, 10:35 am - IP Logged

                He should of tried the "My Bad" technique. Sometimes it works.

                      and make your last check bounce.

                  HaveABall's avatar - rocket

                  United States
                  Member #72957
                  March 18, 2009
                  776 Posts
                  Offline
                  Posted: March 21, 2013, 4:36 pm - IP Logged

                  Right, employer-abuser, private mobster Anthony J. McNeil probably stole more and isn't going to reveal (he figures they aren't the swiftest of auditing companies; since it took over two years to fire Anthony). 

                  I wonder how much of the stolen monies that the auditors have thus far tallied missing, remain in Anthony's bank account?

                  I hope that Anthony J. McNeil doesn't get sent to prison, since it costs the few people who pay SC Income Taxes, aggregately, $37K annually per prisoner!  Instead, I hope they put Anthony in a 1/2 costing half-way house, AND in turn require that he work full-time [in a skilled position, heavily audited] until every penny stolen, interest, room, food, clothing, etc. is repaid (about 7 years ... more years added if more monies is discovered to have been stolen by him after further more in depth audits are performed by the SC Lottery Headquarters)!

                  Red Devil

                  Having millions of dollars in my financial accounts means more, consistent fun for me.Lovies

                    helpmewin's avatar - dandy
                    U$A
                    United States
                    Member #106693
                    February 22, 2011
                    7511 Posts
                    Online
                    Posted: March 21, 2013, 4:38 pm - IP Logged

                    Wow

                      Avatar
                      Texas
                      United States
                      Member #132464
                      September 4, 2012
                      271 Posts
                      Offline
                      Posted: April 9, 2013, 4:13 am - IP Logged

                      I hope they will punish him really really good so that he will learn.  We need to be careful with this kind of person.