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Three NY store clerks held in theft of $75,000 lottery ticketNews Story
He was a Guatemalan immigrant who spoke little English and had a fondness for scratch-off lottery tickets; they were two clerks at a Long Island gas station who saw an opportunity. When the clerks scanned Marvin Choy Nij's Take 5 lottery ticket and gave him $774, congratulating him on his windfall, he never suspected the real worth of his lucky ticket: $74,892, which the clerks, Yalcin Nergiz, 41, and Yunis Ozturk, 33, promptly cashed in for themselves, the Suffolk County district attorney, T
May 8, 2013, 10:33 pm - Lottery News

One brother convicted, one acquitted in $5M lottery trialNews Story
In a closely-watched trial in Syracuse, New York, a judge convicted one brother accused of stealing a winning $5 million lottery ticket from a convenience store customer but threw out conspiracy charges against his brother. Andy Ashkar, 35, was found guilty by Judge Joseph Fahey of criminal possession of stolen property. He was handcuffed and taken to jail immediately following the verdict. His brother, Nayel, who was acquitted on charges of conspiracy, was free to leave. Prosecutors sa
May 1, 2013, 12:01 pm - Lottery News

Decision in $5 million lottery ticket theft trial in Judge's handsNews Story
Judge Joseph Fahey said Friday he will take a few days to make his decision after closing arguments in the trial of two New York brothers accused of stealing a winning $5 million lottery ticket. The bench trial before Judge Fahey began Monday of last week and concluded on Friday. Robert Miles, a maintenance worker who claims he is the real winner of the $5 million, alleges that Andy Ashkar, who is charged with criminal possession of stolen property, stole the ticket from him at The Green A
Apr 30, 2013, 8:10 am - Lottery News

Prosecution calling last witnesses for $5M lottery theft trialNews Story
Prosecutor Beth Van Doren has called 11 out of 15 potential witnesses to the stand in the Onondaga County Court trial of two brothers accused of stealing a winning $5 million lottery ticket. The bench trial before Judge Joseph Fahey began Monday and resumes this morning. Thursday, Van Doren questioned several co-workers of Robert Miles, a maintenance worker who claims he is the real winner of the $5 million. Miles alleges that Andy Ashkar, who is charged with criminal possession of stolen
Apr 26, 2013, 7:17 am - Lottery News

Emotions run hot in NY brothers' $5M lottery ticket trialNews Story
Defense attorneys had the chance this morning to question a lottery investigator who interviewed two brothers claiming to have won $5 million off a scratch-off ticket sold at their father's store. Jay Hemlock, who was called to the stand Tuesday afternoon by prosecutor Beth Van Doren, was in court for further testimony this morning. Hemlock said he investigated Andy and Nayel Ashkar's claim for $5 million with the New York State Lottery. The brothers are on trial in Onondaga County Court b
Apr 24, 2013, 5:44 pm - Lottery News

NY brothers' $5 million lottery theft trial enters second dayNews Story
The trial of two brothers accused of trying to claim $5 million in winnings off a stolen lottery ticket started Monday at 1:00 pm in Onondaga County Court, in Syracuse, New York. (See Non-jury trial expected next week for lottery-thieving brothers, Lottery Post, Apr. 19, 2013.) Andy Ashkar, 34, is accused of stealing a winning ticket from customer Robert Miles at The Green Ale Market on East Fayette Street in Syracuse on Oct. 27, 2006. Prosecutors say Ashkar told Miles the Extravaganza tic
Apr 23, 2013, 4:52 pm - Lottery News

Non-jury trial expected next week for lottery-thieving brothersNews Story
Two brothers accused of attempting to claim $5 million from the state lottery office with a stolen scratch-off ticket will waive their right to a jury trial, according to attorneys. (See NY brothers charged in plot to steal $5M New York Lottery ticket, Lottery Post, Nov. 14, 2012.) Andy Ashkar, 34, and Nayel Ashkar, 36, will opt on Monday to have County Court Judge Joseph Fahey decide their innocence or guilt, said defense attorney Robert Tisdell. Tisdell, who is representing Nayel Ashk
Apr 19, 2013, 2:57 pm - Lottery News

Iowa woman tries to cash stolen lottery ticketsNews Story
A Des Moines, Iowa, woman tried to cash voided Iowa Lottery tickets she stole while working at a company hired to shred old tickets, police said. Chandi Kelly Ramirez, 38, was charged with forgery of a lottery ticket. Ramirez worked at International Paper, which has a document destruction and recycling division in Des Moines, police reports show. An Iowa Lottery employee told police International Paper employees picked up a large quantity of lottery tickets from their warehouse on March
Apr 19, 2013, 9:45 am - Lottery News

Former MD Lottery employee charged with theft of lottery ticketsNews Story
Claimed $67,000 in winnings before he was caught A former Maryland Lottery official has been indicted for stealing tickets and collecting tens of thousands of dollars from the winnings, officials said on Thursday. Mark Barron Hantski, 59, of Lothian, a former Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency employee, collected $67,000 in winnings after stealing tickets from the Maryland Lottery, officials said in a news release. Officials say that the Grand Jury for Anne Arundel County formal
Apr 19, 2013, 9:33 am - Lottery News

Judge throws out some charges against lottery-thieving brothersNews Story
An Onondaga County Court judge who dismissed attempted grand larceny charges against two brothers accused of stealing a winning $5 million lottery ticket in 2006 ruled the crime was beyond the statute of limitations. Judge Joseph Fahey upheld other charges brought against Andy Ashkar, 34, and Nayel Ashkar, 36, who are accused of taking a scratch-off lottery ticket from a customer at their father's convenience store on Oct. 27, 2006. Prosecutors contended that because the brothers waited to
Apr 16, 2013, 7:35 am - Lottery News