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Florida store employee arrested for 'micro-scratching' lottery ticketsNews Story
Includes video report Authorities say a Florida convenience store clerk was cashing in by cheating, while selling customers worthless lottery tickets. Lottery officials say he got greedy and tried to cash in too many big winning lottery scratch-off tickets at the Tampa Lottery District Office. One major red flag was when he tried to claim a $500 winning scratch-off ticket that hadn't even been scratched. For more than a year, lottery officials believe an employee of a Radiant conveni
Jan 6, 2017, 9:10 am - Lottery News

Philadelphia woman facing 53 charges for threatening PA LotteryNews Story
A woman who repeatedly aired her frustration at failing to win a jackpot by making obscene and violent threats against Pennsylvania Lottery headquarters faces 53 charges, police said Wednesday. Towanda Shields, 47, made dozens of calls over the past eight months to the agency's offices outside Harrisburg, police in Lower Swatara Township said. From the calls and stuff I've listened to, she's basically completely obsessed with the lottery and the fact that she doesn't win upsets her very m
Jan 4, 2017, 8:32 pm - Lottery News

Man arrested in lottery winner kidnappingNews Story
A Peoria man accused of kidnapping two men from Normal, Illinois, including one who died of a head injury suffered during the incident, demanded the victim's family pay a ransom from lottery winnings, Normal police said Friday. Danny Smith Jr. 28, is charged with kidnapping Maunds Bryant, 41, and his stepfather from their home in the 100 block of West Raab Road on Dec. 22. Smith remains in the Peoria County jail in lieu of $300,000 bond. Additional charges are under review by both Peoria a
Dec 30, 2016, 6:48 pm - Lottery News

Alleged lottery scandal conspirator to enter new pleaNews Story
A Texas businessman charged in Iowa's lottery rigging investigation is scheduled to enter a new plea often a signal that a plea agreement has been reached with prosecutors. Robert Clark Rhodes pleaded not guilty in May to a felony charge of ongoing criminal conduct stemming from his alleged participation in a 2011 scheme to cash in on a Hot Lotto ticket worth more than $14 million. Rhodes, 48, reportedly is a close friend to Eddie Tipton, a former security official at the Urbandale-based Mult
Nov 14, 2016, 8:35 pm - Lottery News

Alleged Jamaican lottery scam kingpin arrested in KingstonNews Story
A man accused of spearheading a lottery scam that bilked at least 70 mostly elderly U.S. residents out of millions of dollars has been arrested in Jamaica, authorities said Monday. Lavrick Willocks, 27, was taken into custody Saturday after he was found hiding in a garden at a Kingston hotel, according to a news release from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, and a woman who tried to help him escape also was arrested. Willocks faces numerous charges in U.S. federal court, including conspiracy
Nov 8, 2016, 8:11 am - Lottery News

UPS worker busts up lottery scamNews Story
An alert New York UPS employee is credited with saving an elderly Iowa woman from losing thousands of dollars in cash. The worker called police on Tuesday when he felt something wasn't right about a package that had been delivered to the Union Road store. An investigation showed the box contained $8,300 and was sent from an 81-year-old Iowa woman. The woman got a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and was told she needed to send the money to process a cash prize she had won i
Oct 27, 2016, 8:57 pm - Lottery News

FBI warns of Mega Millions lottery fraudNews Story
The FBI's Atlanta office is warning of a scam involving the Mega Millions Lottery that uses the agency's name, as well as the name of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). People who are contacted receive very convincing fake letters that name the above agencies, and the recipients are told that they are lottery winners, FBI spokesman Stephen Emmett said. The advance-fee part of the scam begins by requiring the so-called winner to transfer, by wire, thousands of dollars to the lot
Oct 25, 2016, 1:16 pm - Lottery News

Man wanted for stealing lottery scratch tickets twiceNews Story
Police are searching for a man who they believe stole Washington Lottery scratch tickets twice this month. In the early-morning hours of Oct. 13, a man reached across the counter of the 7-Eleven on Callow Avenue in Bremerton, Washington, and stole tickets. Bremerton police say a person matching the same description and wearing very similar clothing crawled behind the service desk at the Safeway at 900 N Callow Avenue and stole tickets on Oct. 17. More than 100 tickets were recently cash
Oct 24, 2016, 9:05 am - Lottery News

Charges dismissed against mother in lottery ticket schemeNews Story
Charges have been dismissed against one of three people charged with fraudulently claiming a lottery ticket prize. District Judge David Lester on Monday dismissed a charge of aiding and abetting theft of a lottery ticket or share against Sally Bosler. His ruling came after an oral motion from the state requesting the dismissal because, prosecutors said, insufficient evidence now exists to convict Bosler. Bosler, 42, her daughter Ashley Bosler and Ashley Bosler's boyfriend, Johnny Long Jr.,
Oct 18, 2016, 2:31 pm - Lottery News

Chase led to bean field, arrest in lottery ticket caseNews Story
The arrest of an Indiana woman accused of stealing scratch-off lottery tickets from local stores came only after she led a police officer on a car chase that ended in a bean field. Abby Nicole Engle, 26, of the 4200 block of West University Avenue in Muncie, was arrested Friday morning. Details of the events leading to her capture were included in an affidavit released Monday. Albany officer Mat McConnell reported that he was sent to that town's Village Pantry, 641 W. Walnut St., about 5:1
Oct 11, 2016, 6:58 pm - Lottery News