A man who won a massive $2 billion lottery prize is now being accused of stealing his winning ticket.
Edwin Castro, who suddenly became incredibly wealthy, is currently caught in a legal dispute regarding his winning.
Edwin Castro claimed the massive Powerball prize, opting for a lump sum payment of $997.6 million after taxes.
Right after winning the lottery, Castro quickly treated himself by buying a fancy mansion in the Hollywood Hills worth $25.5 million. This choice is something that most people would find reasonable, as many lottery winners dream of owning a luxurious home.
Unfortunately, Castro's recent luck has been clouded by a legal problem.
According to reports, Castro has received legal documents because Jose Rivera argues that he, not Castro, actually bought the winning ticket.
Rivera claims that a man called 'Reggie,' later identified as Urachi F. Romero, took the ticket from him unlawfully.
Rivera asserts that he made attempts to retrieve his ticket but was informed by Romero that it had been lost.
However, Romeo promised to split the winnings with Rivera if the ticket turned out to be a winner. Rivera maintains that security footage from the store where the ticket was purchased will corroborate his claim as the rightful buyer.
Despite the lawsuit, lottery officials remain confident in their vetting process and maintain that Castro is the rightful winner of the $2 billion jackpot.
The California State Lottery Commission, along with Castro and Romero, find themselves entangled in this legal battle.
The February filing of the lawsuit initially drew incredulous reactions.
Workers at Joe's Service Center in California, where the winning ticket was sold, dismissed the claims as "crazy."
They cited the thorough examination process conducted by the California Lottery, which included meticulous examination of video footage frame by frame to ensure the correct identification of the winner.
Remarkably, Castro's jackpot amount was significantly reduced due to his decision to receive a lump sum payment.
Previously, a man who won a staggering $1.35 billion jackpot sued the mother of his daughter for disclosing his winnings to his family.
According to reports, the man, whose identity remains anonymous and is referred to as 'John Doe,' has taken legal action against the woman, identified as 'Sarah Smith' in the legal papers, for allegedly revealing his lottery win to his relatives.
It is mentioned that Sarah had signed a non-disclosure agreement, agreeing to keep the information confidential until their daughter turns 18 in 2032.
The report highlights that 'John Doe' defied astronomical odds of 1 in 302.6 million to win the massive $1.35 billion jackpot.
The life-changing event occurred on Friday, January 13, breaking a three-month streak without a winner. 'John Doe' purchased the winning Mega Millions ticket, with the numbers 30, 43, 45, 46, and 61, along with a gold Mega Ball of 14, at Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon, Maine.
After opting for a lump-sum payment 'John Doe' received a staggering amount of $723,564,144, which amounted to nearly $500 million after-tax deductions.
However, the lawsuit claims that in September, Sarah Smith allegedly disclosed 'John Doe's' status as the lottery winner to his father, stepmother, and even his sister through telephone conversations.
As a result, many people became aware that 'John Doe' was the lucky winner of the Mega Millions jackpot.
John Doe is seeking legal action against 'Sarah Smith' and is demanding $100,000 for each unauthorized disclosure. He also requests the court to issue an injunction against 'Sarah Smith' to prevent her from further revealing his identity.
