Winning lottery ticket purchased with stolen credit card

Oct 28, 2005, 5:25 pm (57 comments)

Oregon Lottery

A woman bought a winning lottery ticket worth $1 million with a stolen credit card and could wind up with nothing if convicted, police said.

Christina Goodenow, 38, of White City in southern Oregon faced numerous theft-related charges, forgery and possession of methamphetamine, said authorities, who searched her home Thursday. The card belonged to a deceased relative, they said.

If convicted of any of the charges, Goodenow will not be able to collect prize money from the winning ticket, said police Lt. Tim George.

Oregon Lottery officials refused to discuss specifics of the case because an investigation is still under way.

"I'll be fascinated to see how this shakes out," Lottery spokesman Chuck Baumann said. "In my 12 years with the Oregon Lottery, this is the first time I've encountered something like this."

Goodenow purchased the winning ticket October 9 using a credit card that had belonged to her mother-in-law, who died more than a year ago, police said.

Goodenow traveled to Oregon Lottery headquarters in Salem on October 12 to accept an installment payment of $33,500. The $1 million grand prize is paid out over 20 years.

Detectives began tracking Goodenow on Wednesday after learning that she had used the credit card to purchase several items, including the ticket.

A search warrant served at her home Thursday turned up some methamphetamine, but little money, George said.

"Our investigation is still trying to determine what happened to the $33,500," George said.

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

JMorenoMars

In Ohio and PA, you can't buy lottery tickets with a credit card. I thought all lotteries were that way, I guess not.

bellyache's avatarbellyache

It was dumb of her to purchase lottery tickets with a stolen credit card. To me it's like that guy who used drug money to buy tickets. I don't think she should get to keep it.

Ladyluck2005's avatarLadyluck2005

What an idiot.  She will win the Idiot of the year award! Bang Head

Rip Snorter

Losers have a way of keeping on being losers.  Human genius takes some strange turns trying to keep itself from being spotted.

Jack

DoubleDown

Duh !!!!!!!

Dupe Alert

 

Homer Simpson : Doh !!!

jeffrey's avatarjeffrey

That money should be used in a drug rehab instead of a senator's pocket

 

KY Floyd's avatarKY Floyd

In Ohio and PA, you can't buy lottery tickets with a credit card. I thought all lotteries were that way, I guess not.

Even if the law says you can't use credit, that doesn't mean it won't happen. Every now and then when I've bought gas and a ticket the clerk has asked if I wanted the ticket on the credit card, too. I don't remember exactly when the law changed to make it illegal to buy tickets with credit, but I'm pretty sure I've charged the tickets a couple of times since it happened.

I'd be curious to see some info on how the cops know the ticket was put on the credit card. This may also develop into the most interesting lawsuit yet over ownership of a winning ticket. If the credit card company was charged and paid for the ticket it seems that they've got a reasonable claim to ownership, and it certainly won't be a he said, she said argument.

 

mylollipop's avatarmylollipop

Sad WaveySad WaveySad WaveySad WaveySad WaveySad Wavey.  I am so sorry for you.  Hope that the $$$$$$$$$ you received already did not go to someone thriving on the weaknesses of others.  Addiction is tuff stuff and the stuff she is reportedly on!....

sirbrad's avatarsirbrad

If she was smart she would have used a cash advance.

Ladyluck2005's avatarLadyluck2005

In Ohio and PA, you can't buy lottery tickets with a credit card. I thought all lotteries were that way, I guess not.

Even if the law says you can't use credit, that doesn't mean it won't happen. Every now and then when I've bought gas and a ticket the clerk has asked if I wanted the ticket on the credit card, too. I don't remember exactly when the law changed to make it illegal to buy tickets with credit, but I'm pretty sure I've charged the tickets a couple of times since it happened.

I'd be curious to see some info on how the cops know the ticket was put on the credit card. This may also develop into the most interesting lawsuit yet over ownership of a winning ticket. If the credit card company was charged and paid for the ticket it seems that they've got a reasonable claim to ownership, and it certainly won't be a he said, she said argument.

 

Maybe a family member snitched on them.  Or maybe the woman used the card before to purchase things & there was an alert on the card.

BabyJC's avatarBabyJC

Now I've heard everything!

TonyB

That money should be used in a drug rehab instead of a senator's pocket

 

It should go to the real owner of the credit card.

KyMystikal's avatarKyMystikal

In Kentucky you can use a Visa/Mastercard Check Card to pay for lottery tickets but it has to be made as a debit not credit purchase.

Chewie

I am confident, if you steal my card, and try to buy a lottery ticket, you will have exceeded the spending limit.

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