BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Buffalo, New York, man has admitted he altered a Mega Millions lottery ticket to make it look he'd won a $252 million jackpot.
The New York Lottery today announced that as a result of an investigation by the Lottery's Security Unit in cooperation with the New York State Police and the Erie County District Attorney's Office, 26-year-old Yann Spindler of Buffalo, entered a plea of guilty to charges of attempted Grand Larceny in the fourth degree, in connection with an altered Mega Millions ticket Spindler presented at the Lottery's Buffalo Customer Service Center on August 26, 2009.
Spindler, originally from Georgia, entered his guilty plea on February 23, 2010 after admitting to investigators that he used a computer to alter an official New York Lottery ticket for the August 25, 2009 Mega Millions drawing to make it look like it was a jackpot-winning ticket worth $252,000,000. There were no jackpot winning tickets sold for the Mega Millions drawing held on August 25, 2009.
Lottery surveillance cameras at the Lottery's Buffalo Customer Service Center show Spindler presenting what he claimed to be a jackpot-winning ticket to Lottery employees for payment on August 26, 2009. Trained Lottery employees immediately contacted security personnel who, in turn, partnered with the State Police and the office of Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita, III to investigate the matter. Upon his arrest, Spindler, a 2002 graduate of the New York State School for the Deaf, told police he altered the ticket because he wanted money to open a school for the deaf.
Lottery Director Gordon Medenica praised the coordinated efforts of the Lottery staff, State Police and Erie County District Attorney to bring this matter to a swift and decisive conclusion. "The New York Lottery remains committed to safeguarding the integrity of our games. I applaud the day-to-day efforts of Lottery staff statewide as well as the follow through demonstrated by the State Police and District Attorney's office. It confirms the strength of our internal controls and the support we receive from law enforcement authorities. Thanks to all for a job well done"
Spindler pleaded guilty to attempted Grand Larceny in the fourth degree, a class A misdemeanor. With the Lottery's agreement, he was released on a conditional discharge.
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Clearly he was not a lotto player as he would have known to check the site before attempting to cash the bogus ticket - some people just don't think !!
Big Brother is Watching: All the Time!
Moral to this Story: Don't try to Claim the Jackpot when their was No Jackpot Winner!
What a fool. It's amazing people believe fooling the lottery into thinking you have a jackpot winning ticket is as easy as changing some numbers on the ticket. Oh no, there's no validation process.
I am at a loss as to why it took so long to find this out, I mean everything is computerize, this information should have been available within weeks. I hope he does some time so that if other lottery players are thinking of doing the same thing, they will have to do serious jail time.
I wonder if thay can tack on a STUPIDITY IN THE 1ST DEGREE charge...lol
This guy shouldn't have kids
"Spindler pleaded guilty to attempted Grand Larceny in the fourth degree, a class A misdemeanor. With the Lottery's agreement, he was released on a conditional discharge."
I agree, he should spend at least a year in jail. However, it doesn't appear he will spend any time at all, incredible.
I can't believe Spindle, regardless whether he's disabled or not, would be so stupid as to believe he could fool the Lottery Commission.
LOL
Some people will never learn. You can't get away with altering lottery tickets.
Only a misdemeanor for trying to steal 252 million dollars?
I'm surprised more people aren't trying it.
Sounds like it's worth the risk for a smart crook with a foolproof plan.
What an idiot! At least the lottery commision busted him. Imagine he got away with it??!!! Now that would be the real crime IMO!! 2 yrs in jail minimum if u ask me, but he could probably plea it down..
The ticket is a receipt of combination bought. The system will know the date, time, location of the winning ticket (if there's one). Something like this cannot be photoshoped. LOL
I wonder if he REALLY wanted to open a school for the deaf, or if that is just what he told police.
So not only is he deaf, he is dumb as well!
Upon his arrest, Spindler, a 2002 graduate of the New York State School for the Deaf, told police he altered the ticket because he wanted money to open a school for the deaf.
Sounds likes he thought wanting to help his community entitled him to the jackpot even if he had to steal it.
Ok we got the results right here....and you are NOT the winner
slow!
Dumb-ass
Yann Spindler,,,what a fool ...I live here and he should have known that the stae police are no joke they will inspect your rectum or how much money ??? $$$$ 225 million ...so don't get wiped up into that ....
Well said.
a smart crook with a foolproof plan.
I believe that's called getting elected.
What an
A$$ wipe!!! even if there were a jackpot winner and he went to the lottery customer service office and showed them his fake ticket don't they still have to scan the bar code at the bottom of the ticket to validate it........
Duh.
Silence was surely golden, till he got surrounded by all the security people.
Glad the mega and powerball jackpots are up to $100 million each, buy some QPs for both and hope to get one right!
More people are trying it rdgrnr, it's called our Banking System.
>Michael
I sure would like to see what his version of a winning ticket looked like. I'm just wondering how good his printer/scanner is.
Also, it never occurred to me...but is there a special prison for the disabled? I wonder what the stats are for disabled people that commit crimes.
W O W....terribly sad actually.
What kind of Software allows you to alter lottery tickets in the first place ???
What he that stupid not to realise that he would get found out
u right..iys all computerize
All i can say is the guy has BIG Balls!
Picture of him at the counter :
"ah..here is my winning ticket, I already verified it, so there is no need to call anybody, I'll take the cash option in 20's and 50's please....and can you rush it my meter is about to run out....."
None. you either cut and paste a real one, or you print up a fake one. Either method will fail - the whys and hows have been covered on other threads.
That is funny!!! he he he
LOL! That's exactly the look he's got on his face, ain't it?
The sheer stupidity of people never ceases to amaze me! It's one thing to alter the numbers so they appear to match, but never mind the barcode which must match as a winning ticket with the lottery's computer? Good Luck trying to duplicate that small detail! lol
"Stupid is as stupid does!"
Counterfeiting lottery tickets is pretty much impossible! There is no way to duplicate a winning ticket except for a winning ticket! You can't even take a ticket which for instance won a lesser prize then alter it by making the numbers appear to match because the barcode will only match the lesser prize no matter what! So if anyone is stupid enough to try counterfeiting a lottery ticket you will end up in the same sad situation the subject of this story is in!
A mind of a crook is never altered. Lock his A-- up.
In theory you could counterfeit any winning ticket. All you have to do is get the right paper and ink, and do a good job of printing the right information on it. Of course that last part is going to be a bit hard to do without some inside information. Simply guessing at the information and coming up right is probably a lot less likely than correctly guessing the right numbers.
Stuuuuuuuuuuupid