Willis Willis will finally get some of his $1 million lottery jackpot.
On Tuesday, state District Judge Bob Perkins signed an order restoring to the Grand Prairie man $395,000 seized from the bank account of a store clerk accused of stealing the winning ticket.
"I feel pretty good, a bit relieved," said Willis, 67, shortly after the hearing in Austin. "I'm glad we finally made it to this point."
Willis said he planned to spend part of the money on medical bills and a daughter's college tuition.
"It's all stuff that has to be paid for," he said. "Things I really needed the money to take care of."
About $365,000 of the cash restored to Willis was seized by Travis County prosecutors from bank accounts opened by the store clerk, Pankaj Joshi. The other $30,000 was recovered from people in Dallas to whom Joshi had given money.
Authorities believe Joshi took the ticket from Willis, told him it was not a winner and cashed the ticket himself. He then returned to his native Nepal.
The Nepalese government has frozen an additional bank account connected to Joshi there, said Patty Robertson, a Travis County assistant district attorney. Sean Breen, Willis' Austin-based attorney, said the account is believed to hold around $300,000.
Prosecutors are working with the U.S. State Department to return to the money to Travis County. However, because a foreign government is involved, the process is complicated, Robertson said.
"I really don't have a timetable on when, or if, that will happen," she said.
About $50,000 of the winnings probably won't be recovered because Joshi withdrew it in cash, Breen said.
Joshi, 25, who was a student at the University of Texas at Arlington, is charged in Travis County with fraud and unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. His bond is set at $10 million.
Authorities have gone to great lengths to locate him. Robertson said. They have contacted his parents and notified the Nepal Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Newspapers in Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital, have reported extensively on the case, she added.
Breen said he will continue to try to force the Texas Lottery Commission to award Willis the rest of the jackpot. Lottery officials have refused, saying they consider Joshi the winner because he signed and redeemed the ticket.
After Tuesday's ruling, Breen said he wondered how the commission could still deny that Willis was the winner.
"The judge looked at the evidence and determined it was obvious Mr. Willis was the winner," he said.
Willis bought the winning ticket May 29 at the Lucky Food Store at 902 Great Southwest Parkway in Grand Prairie, authorities said. He returned there May 31 to have the Mega Millions ticket and others scanned to see whether they were winners.
The Mega Millions ticket was a winner, but Joshi, who scanned it, gave Willis only $2 for a Cash 5 ticket, authorities said.
Thanks to Aluckygal for the tip.
Great news, hope they're able to retrieve every penny!
I wonder how much in legal fees, etc. have been amassed thus far?
Maybe too young and too old make for easier targets, but I am not sure about that.
While of course not all nor maybe most lottery clerks are like that one, there might be very many that when given such a chance will right away reach out and grab it, I guess that the bigger the prize also the bigger the temptation.
But some people won't need much of a temptation, if the prize is $1, it might be big enough for them.
Some people (Many?) give their prize money away and never find out about it.
Do those who sell lottery tickets win more and or more often?
I am glad that Mr. Willis was able to get most of his money back. Hopefully, they catch the guy who did this and punish him.
''Do those who sell lottery tickets win more and or more often?''
DateLine MSNBC'S Chris hansen did sort of a special on stores that sell lottery tickets that were winning everyday....... when he investigated he found out that the owner of these stores were winning everyday and all they could say was they play the lotto everyday and that they were lucky ........ i think you know were this is going......same situation as mr. willis willis only he's getting most of his money back........
"they play the lotto everyday and they were lucky"
Nothing will be done about crooked clerks and owners until they start ripping off the lottery like they do the winners.
The lottery commissions really don't care about anybody getting ripped off unless it's them. It doesn't cost them a nickel if you get ripped.
I'm glad Mr. Willis will get some of his money back
although I wonder if he will have to pay taxes
on what he receives. Taxes were already deducted
when Joshni cashed the ticket.
The morale of this great story: NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP HOPE!!
Again, congratulations Mr. Willis--please enjoy your winfall!!
Good question Starr. Rightfully, he shouldn't have to pay anything since they were already deducted but you can never count on the government to do anything based solely on it being right. Confiscating maximum cash is always job one.
I'm glad to see he's getting some of his money back.......this story is a reminder to check your own tickets! As much as we'd like to believe all store clerks are honest........
Its not right but of course he has to pay taxes on it! Its considered income. While that @ss that stole the money paid taxes on the whole amount, Mr. Willis only has to pay what was given to him. The government will double dip and triple dip whenever they can!
For example, a person saves all their lives....they cash out their savings (lets say 401k) they have two million dollars. two million is taxed (unless they did it right) Oopsy she died (from shock probably) but she left you in her will. Now there are inheritance tax...now estate tax...and you get to claim it as your income (if someone messed up) Dip dip dip...now you have enough left to pay for her funeral and the hospital bill because you had a freakin heart attack over the whole matter.
Sad but true.
Reminds me of a movie Cash. Must get every penny back. LOL
I like that the law is doing something right.
With a name like willis willis he deserves all his money back....lol
Mr. Willis should be grateful to get what money can be recovered. So he has bills to pay. Big deal. We all do, some more than others.
I notice that no one here is willing to address how Mr. Willis became an unfortunate "victim" to greed because of his own laziness and tons of useless excuses of why he didn't check his tickets himself.
Don't get me wrong, I am extremely happy that Mr. Willis will receive what the state can recover. But I fail to see how anyone could actually believe that the TX Lottery Commission should award him the full million when every piece of lottery related product you encounter specifically states that the Lottery Commission is not responsible for LOST or STOLEN TICKETS.
AND--AND--AND it tells you to SIGN YOUR TICKET!!!!!!!!!!
Please explain to me how or why the TX Lottery Commission should be held accountable for Mr. Willis' negligence. I would happily agree if there was something suspect about the ticket when it was presented to the Lottery Commission. But there wasn't. The Lottery Commission had no reason not to honor the ticket and pay the bearer of the ticket.
It was the store manager and the store owner that was suspicious of the thief that set all of this in motion after the dirty deed had been done. I would even agree that the Lottery Commission should be accountable had they paid out on the ticket knowing that there was a possibility the ticket was stolen. But that was not what happened. The Lottery Commission along with Mr. Willis was notified AFTER the dirty deed.
I firmy believe that the sticky-fingered-clerk should be brought back to TX and given a million lashes with a whip then deported home to spend the rest of his days remembering his million dollar a$$ whipping.
Botton line if you're going to play the lottery,
Handle up on your business!!!!!
CHECK YOUR OWN TICKETS!!!!!
WRITE YOUR NAME ON THE D@MN THING!!!
IN INK!!!!!!!!!
Now you getting to rob this guy after he gets his money back!!
Shame where you all before he was in trouble, folks like you mushroom together for greed
You're undoubtedly 100% right from a legal perspective.
In terms of humanity and compassion you're dead wrong.
The dadgum government wins every time.
This was this guy's once in a lifetime chance.
Let the government pay off the balance with some of them jackpots they keep that go unclaimed.
Let's face the fact that there are stupid and/or gullible people playing the lottery. Should they be taken advantage of because of that? He trusted an agent of the lottery and got ripped off. Give him his dadgum money and let the government wait to catch the crook.
The government will continue raking in millions while they're waiting. This guy won't. He probably won't even live long enough.
Have a heart, being a little slow shouldn't be a crime.
Rdgrnr, I'll be one of the first to admit that the government is full of greedy bas--tards.
But my bone of contention is this man doesn't qualify for being stupid/or gullible or a little slow.
All of this happened because he was too G.D. lazy to check his own numbers.
If you read the previous stories you'll see where he gave a long list of lame a$$ excuses for not checking his numbers himself. He also stated that he played the same numbers for some time. There is no way in this lifetime and the life after death, that you'll ever convince me that if you've been playing the same numbers for some time you would not have them etched on the brain.
He'll, all he had to do is write his name on the fricking ticket in ink and that would've prevented or raised a red flag had the sticky fingered clerk tried to cash the ticket.
Think back to the days when you were in school.
Question: What was one thing all of your teachers always said every year?
Answer: Write your name on your paper.
I never met a teacher that did not say those words during the school year. It is also one of the first things that all the lotteries tell you to do.
He reminds me of those people who go after the tobacco company for developing cancer after smoking like a chimney for eons. They made the choice to fire up that first cigarette and chose not to deny themself and kick the habit. As far back as I can remember I've always seen the warning on the packages. Should the tobacco industry be held accountable for that persons death? No
How about the good folks that die from liver damage because of alcohol abuse? Should the alcohol industry be held responsible because their product was abused and a life of hardship or death ensued? No
I have a heart and I have compassion. But this was just pure laziness on Mr. Willis' part. To give him the full million would say to other careless lottery players that it is ok if you ignore what we say, we got you covered.
No, in this case I have to side with the Lottery Commission. They owe him nothing and it would send the wrong message if they paid him. My mom used to say, "the best sense is bought sense. How much are you willing to pay for your's?" Well Mr. Willis is in the process of paying for his sense.
This is good news at least the rightful owner is getting some of his stolen winnings back
It goes to show you that crime doesn't pay!
I too am happy the real winner has received some of his money back. I pray he gets more from the other frozen accounts.
As for the government not taxing him because taxes were paid by the robber, that is unreal. He has received a gift. It has to be counted in his income taxes like everyone else. Tax laws don't change because someone was robbed. If you disagree wth the tax system (I'm tired of being taxed to death also) then advocate through your legislature or rallies for the fair tax or other tax proposals. If a law was implemented related to the tax situation above it would not take effect retroactively.
The robber will go on trial here in the United States and I hope he gets jail time to be an example to other store clerks (most of who are honest) and thiefs.
Also, the lottery commision is not responsible for paying the victim of the stolen ticket the remainder of what he would have won. I don't understand that justification at all!
I have sympathy for the victim, I feel his pain and I will pray he will recover from all the assets the robber owns.
Of course Willis will pay taxes on his winnings. Luckily for him, the IRS arranged to have some of the prize money withheld, so he knows exactly where that money is. Since the clerk can no longer count the recovered money as income most of the money the IRS has won't be needed to pay the clerk's income taxes, thus freeing it up to pay the taxes for Willis' income. The only real question is how easily it will all be sorted out.
The IRS is always the first and last vulture on the carcass of somebody's dream.