Man who stole winning lottery ticket gets 5 years

Comment #16

Coin Toss — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 22:28:59 GMT

Hindsight is always 20 / 20 but the moral of the story here certainly appears to be CHECK YOUR TICKETS YOURSELF.

Whether it be via the results feature here, your state's lottery site, or even the newspaper, you check them.

If you're looking at standing to win a few hundred thousand, springing for 75 cents for the USA Today or 50 cents for your local paper may not be a bad idea.

Comment #15

emilyg — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 18:00:44 GMT

justx - i like that N.S.A.A. - i was thinking of adding N.B.A.A.

Comment #14

floridian — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 17:54:54 GMT

Good Grief -- jx you should not feel you have to apologize for your remarks. Dang people on the Post sure do have thin skins lately.

I re-read the entire original thread about Bob's being faked out by the strore clerk, how bad he feels that a one time felon may get a harsh sentence, when he will appear on TV, times dates and pictures of Bob with fish and how he wants to spread his demise out to the entire world so no one else will get shafted the way he did and how he helps kids and etc, e... [ More ]

Comment #13

justxploring — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 16:33:18 GMT

My conscience? I wrote that with my tongue in my cheek, but apparently it hit a nerve. I hate arguments or any other type of conflict, but why would I feel guilty about not tipping a convenient store clerk? I'd feel lousy if I didn't help the needy or wasn't kind to animals, but the only thing I'm scratching now is my head wondering how you can possibly write this comment. I know - it's a medical phenomenon I was reading about called N.S.A.A. (no shame at all

Comment #12

Bob21456 — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 16:31:55 GMT

We already help many people through the foundation we started.... Don't Forget The Children .... We started this many years ago after reading the christmas wish of a 6 year old that was on a salvation army wish tree... This child wanted a blanket for christmas... because he was cold... Needless to say, he got a blanket and much more.... We have taken care of thousands of kids over the years.... it will continue...

Bob

Comment #11

justxploring — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 16:23:50 GMT

Sounds right to me. I figured the article must have gotten that figure wrong. Too bad you didn't invest it in a tax deferred annuity for a year or 2. You probably wouldn't have gotten 5% for such a short term investment, but you also wouldn't be paying taxes on the interest until you get everything settled. There's nothing wrong with letting the money sit in a bank account either. I would be thrilled making almost $20K a year in interest.

Good luck to you and I hope you help people who are... [ More ]

Comment #10

Bob21456 — Sun, 26 Nov 2006 15:57:15 GMT

Actually restitution to ME was $2344.38. That was interest lost for 43 days on $398,000.00. AND FOR YOUR INFO... I have not spent one penny of the winnings yet... The day I received the check it was deposited into a six mont CD and it is now sitting in an ordinary savings account (5% APR) until I figure out how to invest it...

Comment #9

tntea — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 22:35:24 GMT

This really does bother you doesn't?

Why not stop scratching or start tipping.. one or the other will relieve your conscience..

Comment #8

justxploring — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 07:59:07 GMT

RJOh.... Wow! Maybe I should go after my ex who, in 1982, took off with over $6,000 of my money.

I think the winner was fortunate to get his $500K. After all, he had no idea he had even won the money.

Comment #7

RJOh — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 19:32:45 GMT

The judge on Friday also ordered Grair to pay $19,460 as restitution to Sehested for the amount of interest the ticket would have earned had the proceeds been put in the bank immediately, Wise said.

The judge assumed a lot if he thought a guy that didn't think to pre-check his own tickets before cashing them in would have been thinking about putting all his winnings in an interest paying account immediately after receiving them. Under that theory a person who cheated you out of $5 thirty ye... [ More ]

Comment #6

qutgnt — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 00:41:49 GMT

INstead of saying congratulations please see retailer it should tell you how much you won like they do in illinois. Sure you might have to deal with the problem of the guy behind you beating you up if he sees you have a big winner but that is a lot less likely then high school dropout clerks trying to rake you over the coals.

Comment #5

DoubleDown — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 14:20:24 GMT

LMAO, JXP

Comment #4

justxploring — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 01:32:24 GMT

I wonder how our sock puppet is feeling today?

BTW, they left out the part that he started out his life of crime by taking tips from customers who bought scratch tickets.

Comment #3

Coin Toss — Sun, 19 Nov 2006 01:06:38 GMT

Even if someone isn't on the net there's still the newspapers and sometimes a 1-800 number.

I can't believe people are so glad to have a winner they don't do a visual on the numbers themselves.

Most places in Illinois print out a results ticket with the latest draw on it.

Comment #2

weshar75 — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 22:45:19 GMT

Their is always a few bad apples in the bunch every year that try to get away with trying to con a customer or the lottery itself into giving them winnings that they did not purchase themselves. I think that is why I have a computer with internet and a cell phone so that I can check my tickets against the numbers online or call the numbers 800 number for lottery results. So I know when my ticket is a winner before the clerk even rings it up. Same thing with scratch-its in that you should know... [ More ]

Comment #1

RJOh — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 20:31:33 GMT

Maybe if Grair had been honest, Sehested might have tipped him a couple of bucks. A couple of bucks or nothing isn't much but it's better than five years in prisons. I wonder how many store clerks don't get caught cheating their customers?

He gambled 5yrs as a store clerk against $524,000 minus taxes and lost,maybe it seem like a good gamble until he got caught.

Man who stole winning lottery ticket gets 5 years

Lottery Post — Sat, 18 Nov 2006 15:45:00 GMT

A judge on Friday sentenced Sam Grair to five years and four months in prison for stealing a lottery ticket worth $524,000 at the store where he worked.

Grair, 43, pleaded guilty in September to grand theft and presenting a fraudulent claim to a government agency.

Prosecutor Howard Wise said the message is this: It is a deterrent to any store clerk that is in a position of trust so they won't do the same thing.

Wise said Grair, of Camarillo, had no prior criminal history.

In cour... [ More ]