Tennessee woman charged with stealing ex-husband's $50,000 lottery prize

Dec 18, 2015, 9:24 am (15 comments)

Tennessee Lottery

MCMINNVILLE, Tenn. — McMinnville, Tennessee, police have arrested a woman accused of stealing an unsigned $50,000 lottery ticket and then cashing it in herself.

Imagine winning a $50,000 lottery jackpot only to see someone else cash it in? That's what happened to one mid-state man. 

Kimberly Milstead had the winning  ticket. She signed it, and went to the Tennessee Lottery Commission to collect, but surveillance video showed that she didn't purchase the ticket.

"This should have been me right here," said Jeff Smart pointing to the lottery photo. 

He is Milstead's ex-husband.

Smart said they stopped to buy some lottery tickets during a drive as friends in late October. One hit big, but he forgot to sign the back. Then the ticket disappeared and so did his ex.

"She literally stole a $50,000 lottery ticket from me. Left and did not come back and I've not seen her since," said Smart.

Smart reported the theft to McMinnville police. The state provided Detective Todd Rowland a copy of the signed ticket, which had Milstead's signature.

Yet when Rowland pulled the security video from the Sparta market where the ticket was sold, "The video from the store shows he was the purchaser, not her," said Rowland.

The video showed Smart put down a twenty for ten scratch off Jumbo Bucks tickets and then walk out.

Moments later, he came back with the freshly-scratched winning ticket with Milstead by his side.

"You can see the clerks are calling each other to look at the ticket. I never see her with the ticket at all it's always in his possession," said Rowland. 

Evidence enough to charge Milstead with felony theft. Smart would get justice.

If she is convicted, but that would be small consolation for a man recovering from neck surgery and had hoped to get back with his ex-wife. 

Police said Milstead has already spent all the money, but Smart said he would have shared. 

"I would have split it with her if she didn't want to be with me, but she got it all and left," said Smart.

Milstead said by phone that she gave Smart the money to buy the lottery ticket and that she did not steal it — leaving it up to a judge and jury to decide. 

Thanks to Bleudog101 for the tip.

NewsChannel5, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Raven62's avatarRaven62

This Story has the makings of a Jerry Springer Show...

ekem6078's avatarekem6078

This is so sad. Here's a man willing to share his winnings with his EX wife, even if she didn't wont to be with him.  And she goes and be greeded and take it all.  Now we all no why she's his EX lol.   I don't care if she was shown in the store giving him the money to get the ticket (which she wasn't) if he's the one who handed the money to the cashier, guess what!! 'IT'S HIS TICKET, HE WAS THE ONE THAT BOUGHT IT' not her.  I don't believe she gave him a dime to get the tickets.  Lying ass.   So sorry for the guy tho. Your winnings are long gone.  should have signed it right then and their.  Oh well lesson learned.    Thank you for playing.

faber98

she spent it all already? on what? maybe she did give him the money (doubtful) to buy it and he's claiming she didn't because she left him. tough to prove. her word against his. something slightly fishy about this story. he's not saying how she actually got her hands on it. what did she get up in the middle of the night and leave with it while he was sleeping. if he woke up before lottery office opened he could have maybe stopped her from cashing it. dumb.

casino crawler's avatarcasino crawler

Quote: Originally posted by Raven62 on Dec 18, 2015

This Story has the makings of a Jerry Springer Show...

Something sounds a bit fishy here...So he wins and then let's go of the ticket and "discovers" she and the ticket are gone?  Then she spends it all (does she have a car or anything they can trace it to...) and he says "I would have split it...." easy to say after the fact.  They both seem to have been a bit stupid about the whole thing...

And yes...chairs flying and hair pullin'...I could see it too.

RedStang's avatarRedStang

They should of confirmed the buyer before they handed out the dough.

RJOh's avatarRJOh

He probably now recalls why she was his ex.  He should have moved on after their separation.

noise-gate

Ex Wife doing the spouse in? That would never happen out here on the West Coast. That crap always happens on the other side of the Rockies.

* Have a Great Weekend People! 

realtorjim

Quote: Originally posted by casino crawler on Dec 18, 2015

Something sounds a bit fishy here...So he wins and then let's go of the ticket and "discovers" she and the ticket are gone?  Then she spends it all (does she have a car or anything they can trace it to...) and he says "I would have split it...." easy to say after the fact.  They both seem to have been a bit stupid about the whole thing...

And yes...chairs flying and hair pullin'...I could see it too.

I agree, something is askew.  Why would he wait before reporting it to the lottery and police?  Though it doesn't specifically state this, how else could she have claimed and spent all the money without at least some latitude of time, even a day.  Let's see, I have a $50,000 winning lottery ticket, I go in and show it to the clerks, and more than likely had them validate it.  Then the ticket is missing.  Who wouldn't immediately report it?  I think he was trying to get back with his ex, let her claim it, she then dumped him... again, and now he wants revenge. 

BS

temptustoo's avatartemptustoo

mcminnville tennessee.. ENOUGH SAID............ ROFL

mypiemaster's avatarmypiemaster

Love is a wonderful thing until money and sex do us part.

TnTicketlosers's avatarTnTicketlosers

She spent it on more tickets.

luckyshoes's avatarluckyshoes

Rule #1 ...sign the ticket. I would 've scratched it in the car and scrambled to find a pen to sign it BEFORE  I went back in the store.

HaveABall's avatarHaveABall

Quote: Originally posted by RedStang on Dec 18, 2015

They should of confirmed the buyer before they handed out the dough.

It was only $50K before income taxes.

DELotteryPlyr's avatarDELotteryPlyr

Quote: Originally posted by temptustoo on Dec 18, 2015

mcminnville tennessee.. ENOUGH SAID............ ROFL

wasn't there a member from Tennessee by the name of Rdgrnr ???? Hummm....LOL

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