Last week, authorities arrested A.J., of Hearne, Texas, on charges of fraud and theft related to a winning lottery ticket. The arrest came after a joint investigation by the Hearne Police Department and the Texas Lottery Commission uncovering that A.J. had fraudulently claimed a prize worth over $5 million.
The Texas Lottery Remains Vigilant Against Fraud
Authorities have charged A.J. with Claim Lottery Prize Fraud exceeding $10,000 and Theft of Property valued at $300,000 or more. She was initially held in the Robertson County jail with bonds set at $1.5 million for each charge, totaling $3 million. However, Justice of the Peace Frederick Webber later lowered the bond to $150,000 per charge. A.J. has since been released on bond.
According to a recent report by local news outlet KBTX, the suspect, who reportedly worked at the QuickPump convenience store on South Market Street, is accused of stealing the winning ticket for a $50 scratch-off game called “Luxe.” Authorities have released little additional details regarding this case, but multiple sources suggest that the ticket was sold at the suspect’s workplace.
As this is an open, pending investigation and not directly under the Texas Lottery Commission’s authority, we are unable to comment further.
Steve Helm, Texas Lottery Commission media relations division director
The Texas Lottery Commission has confirmed its involvement in assisting the police investigation. The authority released a statement, noting that it took such cases very seriously and had stringent safeguards and protocols to detect and investigate irregularities in prize claims.
You Should Always Personally Check Your Tickets
These newest accusations mirror a similar case in Tennessee earlier this year. In July, A gas station clerk in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was accused of stealing a lottery ticket from a customer that won $1 million this July. The clerk, M.P., reportedly told the customer their ticket was a non-winner and threw it away before taking it for himself.
Luckily, the Tennessee Lottery Commission detected something was amiss. A subsequent investigation by law enforcement uncovered security camera footage that showed the suspect surreptitiously taking the winning ticket out of the trash and putting it in his pocket. The actual winner was later located and received the prize.
Lottery-related fraud cases like these highlight the importance of transparency in the gaming industry. In both incidents, investigative efforts detected the irregularities in time, helping maintain public confidence in state lottery systems. As the case against A.J. unfolds, it serves as a reminder that customers should always personally check their tickets to avoid potential fraud.
