Family and friends are usually the most reliable people, but for a rule to prove there has to be an exception. It was a woman from Houston, USA arrested for stealing a million dollar lottery ticket from her cousinwho gave it to her in exchange so that she would remain anonymous and could now be sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Iris Amador Argueta, 32 years old, he also forged lottery paperwork to make his relatives think he won only a small portion of the grand prizeNassau County prosecutors said Tuesday.
The million-dollar embezzlement began when the victim purchased a $5 New York State Hold ‘Em Poker lottery “Scratch Card” at Glen Cove’s 7-Eleven in October 2022 and scratched the ticket to uncover his seven-figure prize, authorities said and reproduced by local media. Then, the man asked Argueta to claim the prize for him in exchange for $50,000, aiming to remain anonymous. according to prosecutors in the lawsuit.
Iris went to New York to get the ticket, and weeks later, she would give her cousin the lottery officials’ fake ticket and handed him $13,436 in cash, telling him the state kept the rest in taxes.
However, the state previously issued a press release defending Argueta’s million-dollar jackpot, noting that she received a lump sum payment of $537,440.
When the victim confronted her cousin about the scam, she threatened him with legal action.
Nassau County officials said they recovered more than half of the stolen money from Argueta’s bank account. “The defendant took advantage of his cousin’s trust, allegedly lying and manipulating him to keep most of his winning million-dollar lottery ticket for himself,” Acting District Attorney Joyce Smith said.
“Through an excellent working partnership with the Glen Cove Police Department, we have recovered over $300,000 in allegedly stolen funds and will pursue this case vigorously,” he added.
Argueta is accused of aggravated theft and faces 15 years in prison.+
With information from agencies
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Source: Clarin
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.