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Lottery winners challenge IRS, tax court rulingsNews Story
Because lottery winner Benjamin Y. Lelina sold the rights to the balance of his winnings, he could lose $45,000 to Uncle Sam.The Jacksonville resident is not the only lottery winner to turn potential loser. He is just one of many caught up in an Internal Revenue Service enforcement action requiring such sales to be treated at higher personal income tax rates rather than as capital gains.The deck could be stacked against Lelina and his wife, Teresita S., in U.S. Tax Court here because the court p
Jan 17, 2004, 7:02 pm - Lottery News

Lottery Loser Pleads No Contest in Mega CaseNews Story
The woman who claimed she lost a winning $162 million Mega Millions lottery ticket pleaded no contest Thursday to lying on a police report.After entering the plea, Elecia Battle, 40, of Cleveland, was convicted by the judge. She faces a possible penalty of 30 days to six months in jail and $1,000 fine at sentencing Feb. 19.A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but means the defendant will not fight the charges.Battle had filed a police report after the Dec. 30 Mega Millions drawing, sa
Jan 15, 2004, 8:20 am - Lottery News

Ohio Lottery Loser Faces Police ChargeNews Story
Elecia Battle, who admitted yesterday that she lied about losing a $162 million Mega Millions lottery ticket, was charged today with filing a false police report.On January 2, Battle told police in South Euclid, Ohio that she had somehow lost the Mega Millions ticket shortly after buying the ticket at a local Quick Shop.If convicted of the misdemeanor count, Battle, 40, faces a maximum of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.Below you'll find a copy of the winning ticket and the criminal c
Jan 9, 2004, 8:34 pm - Lottery News

Reducing Lottery RewardsNews Story
Some Florida legislators figure that the way to sell more lottery tickets is to reduce the size or number of prizes the players can win. It's something that will be attempted during the 2004 session that begins in March -- and, given the financial philosophy of this Legislature, it has a good chance of passage.This is, after all, the same Legislature that set in motion the largest telephone rate hike in state history using the logic that if rates were increased, there would be more competition f
Jan 9, 2004, 5:15 am - Lottery News

Court scratches man's lottery claimNews Story
A Northborough man who tried to cash in on a mistake by the state Lottery Commission to collect a $4 million cash prize for a winning scratch ticket had his claim thrown out yesterday by the state Appeals Court.In 1996, Robert Jacobs purchased a winning instant lottery ticket at the Route 9 Beer and Wine store in Southborough.Although the winning ticket was worth only $10 on its face, Jacobs claimed he was entitled to a $4 million prize because of a mistake in advertising that accompanied the
Jan 9, 2004, 5:10 am - Lottery News

'I Lied' -- Woman Drops Lottery LawsuitNews Story
Updated: Jan. 8, 2003 12:38 PMA woman said through tears Thursday that she lied about losing the winning ticket for a $162 million lottery prize awarded to another woman.Elecia Battle, 40, is dropping her lawsuit to block payment of the 11-state Mega Millions jackpot to the certified winner, her lawyer Sheldon Starke said. I wanted to win, Battle said. The numbers were so overwhelming. I did buy a ticket and I lost. I wanted to win so bad for my kids and my family. I apologize. Starke says tha
Jan 8, 2004, 10:27 am - Lottery News

Clerk free on bail in lottery ticket caseNews Story
A Cook County judge set bail at $25,000 Wednesday for a Chicago Board Options Exchange clerk accused of swiping her co-workers' winning $175,000 lottery ticket.But Dora Leal's attorney insisted the clerk thought the Mega Millions ticket was worth less than $10 and that there was no chicanery intended -- she just misplaced the ticket. This is completely out of her character, attorney Robert Kuzas said after her bond hearing. She's very distraught over this. Police charged Leal, 44, of North Spa
Jan 8, 2004, 5:11 am - Lottery News

Lottery Loser's Shady PastNews Story
Ohio woman has fraud, assault convictions, uses aliasThe Ohio woman who told police that she purchased -- and then lost -- the winning $162 million Mega Millions lottery ticket -- has several arrests on her rap sheet, including convictions for assault and credit card fraud. In addition, Elecia Battle is using an alias and has falsely claimed to be married to the man with whom she now lives.Battle, whose real name is Elecia Dickson, apparently has borrowed the surname of boyfriend James Battle.
Jan 6, 2004, 5:56 pm - Lottery News

Jobless man presents missing NIS 7 million (US$1.6M) lottery ticketNews Story
The mystery of the identity of the sdventh winner in the NIS 50 million (US$11.4M) lottery held two weeks ago was solved Monday, when a man from the south came to Mifal Hapayis national lottery center in Tel Aviv and presented the winning ticket.The ticket, bearing the seven winning numbers that came up in the December 15 drawing, was bought in Eilat and netted its owner some NIS 7 million (US$1.6M). Married with three small children, the sdventh winner, in his 40s, has been unemployed for the p
Dec 30, 2003, 5:43 am - Lottery News

Lottery 'winner' sues for $63MNews Story
All he wants for Christmas is $63 million - plus interest.A Brooklyn man has filed suit against New York Lottery, claiming he won last year's Mega Millions drawing on Christmas Eve.Dr. Fritzner Bechette claims he lost the ticket in a non-retrievable situation and has tried to claim the prize since last Dec. 25.Lottery officials say the ticket is worth $68 million. It wasn't immediately clear why Bechette is suing for $5 million less. The suit was filed in Queens Supreme Court last week.The dea
Dec 23, 2003, 5:37 am - Lottery News