California Powerball winner served lawsuit papers over stolen lottery ticket
A California Powerball winner is accused of stealing a lottery ticket value greater than $2 billion. The lottery winner was served with lawsuit papers at his newly bought mansion in Hollywood Hills, California.
Final yr, Edwin Castro gained the Powerball lottery jackpot of $2.04 billion after purportedly buying the successful ticket from Joe’s Service Station in Altadena, California, on Nov. 7, 2022.
As beforehand reported in TheBlaze, Castro elected to take house the lump sum prize cash of $997.6 million in February 2023.
Castro used the lottery winnings to buy two multimillion-dollar California properties and a classic Porsche convertible reportedly value $250,000.
In the identical month, a lawsuit was filed in California claiming that the successful lottery ticket had been stolen.
Jose Rivera contends that he’s the rightful proprietor of the successful Powerball ticket.
Rivera alleged that an individual named “Reggie” stole the ticket from him the day it was bought.
“Rivera stated after the successful numbers had been drawn, he saved asking to get the ticket again however Reggie allegedly refused,” based on KABC-TV. “He claims Reggie threatened to destroy the ticket if he didn’t cut up the winnings.”
“Reggie” has been recognized as Urachi F. Romero. Castro and Romero are listed as co-defendants within the Alhambra Superior Courtroom case.
Rivera believes {that a} surveillance digicam will present that he’s the true proprietor of the life-changing lottery ticket.
The New York Post reported, “He believes retailer surveillance photos will show his case and has requested the state lotto company ‘make out there for our evaluation all video depicting the acquisition of the successful ticket.'”
Rivera claims he “refused to be blackmailed,” based on courtroom paperwork.
Rivera’s authorized group said in a letter to the California Lottery, “In an effort to hopefully attain a immediate decision of this matter involving the rightful proprietor of the $2.04 Billion Powerball successful ticket, our consumer, Jose Rivera, once more requests the ‘Lottery’ make out there for our evaluation all video depicting the acquisition of the successful ticket.”
The letter continued, “We perceive the ‘Lottery’ took possession of the video shortly after it was decided the successful ticket was bought at Joe’s Service Station in Altadena, California.”
A spokesperson for the California Lottery said, “In the case of the vetting course of for large winners, California Lottery has the utmost confidence in its course of for doing so. California Lottery stays assured that Edwin Castro is the rightful winner of the $2.04 billion prize stemming from the Powerball drawing in November of 2022.”
On Could 17, lawsuit papers had been delivered to Castro at his $25.5 million mansion in Hollywood Hills, California. The swanky 13,578-square-foot property, reportedly positioned close to the properties of pop star Ariana Grande and TV host Jimmy Kimmel, has 5 bedrooms, seven loos, and a wine cellar.
The U.S. Sun reported, “A case administration convention and proof of service listening to have now been set for July 24 on the courthouse in Alhambra, CA, with Rivera being represented by attorneys Estela Richeda and Brian Kramer.”
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