Mystery Trust Beats the Clock for Lottery Jackpot

Source Article

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Lottery officials had more questions than answers Friday as they tried to unravel the stunning mystery behind a year-old winning ticket turned in less than two hours before Thursday's deadline for a jackpot worth up to $14.3 million. Among the questions: Who actually bought the Hot Lotto ticket? Who are members of the trust that stepped forward to claim the prize less than two hours before it expired? Where was the ticket for 364 days, and why did the trustee risk sending it by FedEx to Des Moines one day before the deadline?

I placed this in General Conspiracies because I feel that the circumstances may be strange enough to suggest a conspiracy of some sort. I also did not find this happening posted in a thread yet.

This is extremely interesting. Claiming the winning ticket just 2 hours before the deadline, after 364 days. That is highly strange to say the least. Given this mystery, my personal opinion is that the ticket was likely stolen, and this is the reason it was sat on for so long. This also seems likely considering the holder of the ticket had a lawyer go to the lottery office for them, or at least that is the way it seems. The biggest piece of evidence however is the fact that multiple individuals are claiming to have had the ticket stolen from them.

The article claims that these individuals are unrelated, which means that at least one of them is very likely to be lying, because if not, TWO tickets would have to have been stolen, with only one of those being claimed.

They know that the person who turned the ticket in is for sure not the person who bought it. The ticket was actually MAILED from New York to a lawyer, presumably in Iowa, from a trust fund. This trust fund business seems strange to me as well. If a single person did steal a winning ticket from someone, how did this trust end up with it?

All in all, intriguing, and my money is on foul play...Maybe not, but something doesn't feel right to me.
After their investigation, which will include watching surveillance tapes to see who actually purchased the ticket, officials are likely to identify the "real" winner, and if it is not a member of this trust, or was not sent to them by the winner, someone's head is going to roll...

What are your thoughts on the matter? Does anyone know anything more about this, possibly someone from Iowa where the coverage is probably heavier?

Edit to Add:

It seems that trust funds are sometimes established if their are multiple individuals with claim to the ticket, likely a lottery pool. So scratch that about me saying the trust fund itself seemed strange. It did at the time because I did not think about this.

This situation actually could be "honest," however I still have a problem with 2 major issues. The first is that they waited so long to turn the ticket in. The second is that it was mailed from New York. I believe this was an Iowa state lottery, therefore why would someone in NY have the ticket?

There are explanations for this, they just would seem to be the exception rather than the norm. I do not know what to think now, but if I hear more, or the situation gets resolved, I will definitely update this thread to reflect that fact...

It was an unclaimed winner, that was about to expire at the deadline, the lottery workers in that state knew that no one had come forward(was probably a quick pick so the person that didnt come forward probably never knew they won). So it is my guess that these few workers conspired to cash in the ticket. Think about it, these are funds that go the state, and if this went unclaimed, the state would get the money. However, the state does not forsee ALL lottery proceedings. My guess is FRAUD from with-in lottery office.

Hmm, I did not think about that at all. I think that is a very good hypothesis that you came up with. To me that is thinking outside the box, lol, which is surprising given that I question the government all the time...just not with something like this.

I will definitely be searching for updates now, as for me the story just took a big twist. Thanks for your post.

I'm thinking this is legitmate enough and perhaps one of the few people or groups to win who might really make it work and not go on an endless party and bender until the money runs dry. This strikes me as a calm and rational approach to a life changing sum landing on them, and whoever is behind the trust actually had the wisdom to realize it.

It also ruined the whole day of people in the State and Lottery Commission, I'm sure. 2 hours to go,, LOL... I'll bet they had all but spent that money by that point with penciled in items and budgetary shinanigans planned for but not quite done yet. Priceless on that score. If it was accidental, it's hilarious. If that aspect was deliberate, .

Originally posted by Wrabbit2000
I'm thinking this is legitmate enough and perhaps one of the few people or groups to win who might really make it work and not go on an endless party and bender until the money runs dry. This strikes me as a calm and rational approach to a life changing sum landing on them, and whoever is behind the trust actually had the wisdom to realize it.

This is understandable, and a good suggestion. But, this still leaves the question of why such a chance was taken. The chance was in mailing it to NY from Iowa. Considering when it arrived, any delivery mistake could have cost the winners that large sum of money.

I have had FedEx packages that were supposed to arrive on a certain day, yet they came the day after. But you could still be right, but I personally think that any levelheaded person still would have cashed it in before when it was actually claimed.

I suppose there are other reasons, such as medical, travel, etc, that could have been at just the right times, making the owner simply put off the ticket. That to me indicates the person may not have needed the money. Who knows, lol.

maybe corporations play lotto too and of course remain anonymous... And can Afford to wait 364 days...

the man who won is a family friend
he has already spent a lot of that money on family before claiming his win
he put of collecting till the last minute as money has no real value to him
and im confident most of that win will be seen by charity as this man does not need or want that monetary value in his possesion
i salute this genuine and decent person

reply to post by JiggyPotamus

The details sure do suggest more than meets the eye here. We'll know soon enough, in all likelihood. Someone went to a lot of trouble and as you note, no small degree of risk, by doing it this way. I'll bet they missed something though.. some small detail which will leave a hungry reporter the lead to find a name to the money. Give it a week, tops..

reply to post by JiggyPotamus


If security and anonymity are issues here...

(1) Hire a lawyer.

(2) Get your financial ducks all in a row.

(3) Hire someone else to come forward with the ticket so that you CAN remain anonymous from the public, charities and the wide array of gold diggers... ex-wives... and past legal woes.

Perhaps they bought the ticket while visiting out of state.

reply to post by three1zero


Sounds like a good cover story for a ticket that has been confiscated by the government from a felon who is now behind bars.

reply to post by AllUrChips

So it is my guess that these few workers conspired to cash in the ticket. Think about it

Obviously you did not! How could they claim it without the ticket?? If the ticket was in their possession they would not have waited 364 days. If they knew it would not be claimed they could not conspire to claim it as they would not have had the ticket.

reply to post by PuterMan


I think you should re-read my post and try again. It seems you are not understanding what it is I said. If you did, your reply would have made sense
Here, ill solve it for you bro: The workers had to wait til the deadline in case someone did come forward. As far as them mailing it, they could not do it in person and they had to do it anonymously through a hired third party.

Perhaps all three of these stories are related:

From Nov
abcnews.go.com...
"Three wealth managers who won a $254 million Powerball jackpot in Connecticut Monday deny reports that someone else hired them to claim the ticket. "

All three work for wealth management firm Belpoint Capital in Greenwich, which manages $82 million, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Skidmore is president and CEO of the company.

Earlier today, Thomas Gladstone, a friend of one of the men and the landlord of their office space, told ABC News that a client had come to Belpoint Capital with the winning ticket and asked for their help. A relative of one of the men, who wished to remain anonymous, confirmed the story to ABC News. "

And then this VERY STRANGE STORY:
www.usatoday.com...

"The odds that Joan Ginther would hit four Texas Lottery jackpots for a combined nearly $21 million are astronomical. Mathematicians say the chances are as slim as 1 in 18 septillion — that's 18 and 24 zeros."

After all, the only way to win is to keep playing. Ginther is smart enough to know that's how you beat the odds: she earned her doctorate from Stanford University in 1976, then spent a decade on faculty at several colleges in California. Teaching math."

reply to post by AllUrChips


OK you said

It was an unclaimed winner, that was about to expire at the deadline, the lottery workers in that state knew that no one had come forward(was probably a quick pick so the person that didnt come forward probably never knew they won). So it is my guess that these few workers conspired to cash in the ticket.

How did they get the ticket? The person did not come forward. How did the lottery workers get hold of the ticket. If they already had the ticket, then they won anyway because the ticket belongs to the person who presents it. If they had the ticket they were the legitimate owners (unless they stole it) and therefore there was no need to wait. If they stole it, how did they do that?

I think you should re-read my post and try again. It seems you are not understanding what it is I said. If you did, your reply would have made sense

No still does not make sense.

Here, ill solve it for you bro: The workers had to wait til the deadline in case someone did come forward. As far as them mailing it, they could not do it in person and they had to do it anonymously through a hired third party.

Once again. How did they get the ticket?

They may have known that ticket had not been presented, but you have not come up with a credible reason as to how they suddenly have possession. They cannot claim the lottery without the ticket.

Originally posted by PuterMan
reply to post by AllUrChips

 

How did they get the ticket? ... If they stole it, how did they do that?

Maybe some vulnerable or naive person, like an illegal alien, came to claim his winnings and they had him deported. Or they bullied and threatened the person, like an old lady or someone with arrest warrants outstanding, into giving up the claim. Or maybe they just forged the winning ticket, using a contact within the company that prints them up.

Anyway the lure of easy money has attracted the cons and the shysters since the first sucker was born a long time ago.

reply to post by starviego

Or maybe they just forged the winning ticket, using a contact within the company that prints them up.

Now there's an interesting thought!

Mmm.