Photo:Massachusetts State Lottery
Massachusetts State Lottery
A Massachusetts man finally cashed in on his January lottery winnings on Friday after a convenience store clerk allegedly stole his winning ticket.
Little said he realized he left the Lakeville convenience store without his tickets shortly after his purchase, and briefly searched for them before he determined he lost them. The next customer to buy lottery tickets at the store spotted Little’s two tickets still sitting in the terminal and told the clerk, who allegedly pocketed the tickets.
The Plymouth County District Attorney’s Officestated that the clerk, Carly Nunes, 23, pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to the charges against her for her involvement in the scheme, which include larceny, attempted larceny, presentation of a false claim and witness intimidation.
“I’m pretty excited today because it’s real, with the check in hand,” Little said duringFriday’s press conference, where he also sent well wishes to Nunes. “My thanks to all of the people who helped me get to this point. It’s so many people who worked on my behalf to see me here today, and it’s greatly appreciated.”
The luckyMega Millions Quic Picticket cost $2 and Little paid $1 more for a multiplier, which turned what would have been a $1 million prize into $3 million. He said he played the lottery occasionally prior to his win and will continue to play.
Little is a diesel mechanic who works on marine engines, and he plans on continuing to work “until the dust settles,” despite his big win.
“There’s a lot of things that I’m going to be able to do that I wasn’t able to do in the past, and that’s exciting,” Little said. “This does give me the opportunity to consider other things, but all in due time.”
Little said that after taxes and fees, about 29% of his prize will be taken out. The store where he made his purchase, now known as Lakeville Market & Liquors, received a $30,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket despite Nunes' alleged theft, according to thelottery office’s statement.
source: people.com
