Store manager in sticky situation after retailer investigates legitimacy of ticket purchase
By Kate Northrop
DUBUQUE, Iowa — A store manager was fired from his job after a lottery retailer had found that he had bought a winning lottery ticket he knew was worth $100,000.
Aaron McVicker of Dubuque found himself caught in a messy situation after buying a $100,000 winning lottery ticket, which triggered an investigation into whether he violated store policies by playing the lottery on duty.
According to state records detailing a hearing dealing with McVicker's request for unemployment benefits, employees from Casey's General Store testified McVicker had contacted the company's human resources department to report that he and seven coworkers had won a $100,000 Powerball prize from a ticket bought at the store he managed on Asbury Road in Dubuque.
McVicker got in touch with HR manager Melissa Klenzman last November, who asked him a series of questions to determine whether the ticket purchase was made in accordance with store policies that limit an employee's ability to buy lottery tickets. McVicker originally told her that he was not working a shift when he bought the ticket, did not sell it to himself, and did not run the cash register or the lottery terminal to make the sale.
While he reported that he bought the ticket on the evening of Nov. 7, Klenzman later came to the conclusion that he had been working that day and was on duty during the timeframe he says purchased the ticket, despite not clocking in for work.
On a second phone call with McVicker, Klenzman allegedly found out that he would buy "mistake tickets" on occasion, which are tickets printed out for lottery players but are set aside, usually due to an error in the transaction.
According to the Iowa Lottery, a longstanding security requirement of multi-jurisdictional games like Powerball is that tickets cannot be cancelled. A retailer that prints a ticket in error can still sell the ticket, but if it is not sold in time for its respective drawing, the ticket remains the property of the business that generated it.
"There have been instances through the years where a retail location has claimed a prize from a ticket it owned after printing it in error," Iowa Lottery Vice President of External Relations Mary Neubauer told Iowa Capital Dispatch.
In two additional conversations between Klenzman and McVicker, McVicker had allegedly switched up his story, instead saying that he purchased the winning ticket a day later than what he had originally said. He also mentioned for the first time that the $100,000 winning Powerball ticket was actually a "mistake ticket," not a traditional lottery purchase.
The company then reviewed video surveillance footage and store receipts, and in conjunction with information they collected from the Iowa Lottery, determined that the winning ticket was in fact printed on Nov. 7 and set aside as a "mistake ticket." On Nov. 8, an employee scanned the ticket and discovered it had won a $100,000 prize. They then called McVicker, who came to the store and bought the ticket.
Casey's General Store fired McVicker for lying during the investigation and for violating company policy. His request for unemployment benefits was denied.
"Not only did he lie to [his] employer multiple times during the investigation, but he also purchased the ticket only after confirming it was a winning ticket," Administrative Law Judge Stephanie Adkisson said. "As a store manager, [he] was held to a higher standard than other employees."
The ticket for the $100,000 winning Powerball prize for the Nov. 7, 2022 drawing sold at Casey's General Store on Asbury Road in Dubuque has not been claimed.
This guy committed no crime buying a lottery ticket. He violated store policy playing the lottery on company time, and was subsequently fired. The ticket is a bearer instrument, and if in his possession, should be able to claim the prize. Probably should hire a lawyer just in case.
* Another doozy story from the land of " Field of Dreams."
Casey's General Store wanted to get rid of the Store Manager: Violation of Store Policy was the perfect excuse.
l support the store 100 percent this store clerks don't like to buy loosing tickets only if they know it is a winner. Rule is Rule . Play fairly and win fairly 😊😁 . That store manager needs a kick 🦶 in his Fat B... What a looser he is supposed to be getting promotion for protecting company interest first and how Stupid is he not to realize his own security tape is watching and then lie 🤥 shocking. Now he lost $100,000 ticket and $100,000
Job plus a Criminal Record 🙂 . If you want to buy a ticket buy it before the draw ok people ☺️😹
The article mentions mistake tickets. If by mistake you mean the ticket was printed in error, then the ticket should be void. If the ticket was printed and rejected by the customer (which cannot be cancelled), the store should be allowed to sell those. Apparently the 100K ticket was scanned, which was held after the drawing was conducted. Why is this store in the habit of retaining tickets after the drawing was conducted???
The answer is simple. Number one I play lottery all the time .l can void pick3 and pick4 but l can't void powerball or mega . So the store does not have the Ability to void certain games. Number two the store get to keep the winning ticket because the store is responsible for unsold ticket based on the contract with the lottery. Matter of fact this is not the first time it happened . Another cashier sold herself a multi million dollar ticket just like this before. The store did investigation went to court and the judge agreed 👍. So store clerks already know the drill what l don't understand is why can't they sell it to someone not working in the store and two why scan it when it trigger investigation. If it is me I will look at the numbers if they look good enough. I will call my ex girlfriend and tell her to hurry and come and buy it and I will print three more mistake to hide my game plan. But am not sure l trust my Ex more headaches later lol 😆🤣
Your values are questionable. That would still be in violation of the store policy by selling your ticket to an ex. In fact, it is arguably a criminal conspiracy at that point.
Sounds like your ex dodged a bullet.
It sounds like an inside job that went wrong. He bought a lottery ticket. Whoop de Doo everybody does.. there are enough problems in this country in your so worried about somebody buying a lottery ticket. The story is probably made up, something doesn't seem right about it
So since these tickets cannot be cancelled, the store is "stuck" with them. If any turn out to be winners-- does the store collect the prize or are they mandated to return them to the lottery?? From the employees perspective it would be a shame for the money to go unclaimed and revert back to the lottery. But since the employee is prohibited from purchasing these tickets due to company policy, it's understandable the employee would enlist a Confederate to come and purchase the ticket.
Round of applause. who cares? it was a setup.
any cameras around??? Cameras are near lottery tixs. Sounds like this was planned out.
violation my butt. they knew what they were doing. you should know that. you're a lawyer, correct, an attorney. this was a setup, end of story. The store should be worried about other things. If that is the case, is there a sign plastered in the business.
Correct. now they might have a lawsuit but hey their loss. thank you. inside job big time.
Employee scanned a ticket that wasn't sold, and found it to be worth 100K. Employee could have pocketed the ticket and put two dollars in the register. Then get a relative to cash it.
1. I do not understand why anyone would be a member of a social media site like LP if they believe the news stories are fake.
2. Most lottery retailers have a policy of not allowing employees to purchase tickets on work time. It is a reasonable anti theft prevention policy. The various state lotteries do not allow their employees to play the lottery at all.
3. The employee was denied unemployment benefits indicating that the termination was determined to be for cause.
4. He lied and changed his story.
5. And for any LP member to insist that almost every event is some sort of a bizarre setup, demonstrates a high degree of paranoia.