PHOTO: RUTHERFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
A Tennessee father’s stroke of luck turned into a nightmare when a clerk allegedly stole his $1 million winning lottery ticket and attempted to claim the prize for himself, according to authorities.
The incident unfolded at a Shell station in Murfreesboro, where the unsuspecting customer purchased two $20 Diamond and Gold lottery tickets. After scratching them, he asked clerk Meet Patel, 23, to scan the bar code to check if either was a winner, as reported by CNN.
Detective Steve Craig from the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office explained to WTVF that Patel, upon discovering one ticket was worth $1 million, purportedly discarded it in the garbage. Later, surveillance footage allegedly captured Patel retrieving the discarded ticket from the trash, hiding it in his pocket, and celebrating after confirming its worth.
“Mr. Patel is then seen later in the video celebrating in the store after scratching off the front of the ticket and learning it was a $1 million winner,” noted Detective Dennis Ward in an official statement. According to the Tennessee Lottery rules, prizes exceeding $200,000 must be claimed at the state headquarters in Nashville.
Patel reportedly attempted to claim the prize in person but aroused suspicion during the verification process. “He went to the Tennessee Lottery Commission to claim the ticket as his own and through their normal line of questioning there were enough red flags for them to say, ‘Hey, you need to get all of your affairs in order and come back to us and we’re gonna hold on to the ticket,'” Craig told WTVF.
Authorities further mentioned that the Tennessee Lottery Commission rigorously investigates large prize claims, including reviewing surveillance footage of ticket purchases. The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office shared the startling development on social media: “An Antioch father was surprised when @RCTNSheriff detectives informed him he won the $1 million lottery.
A store clerk allegedly stole his ticket and tried to collect the prize.” They added that the father expressed gratitude upon being informed of his win. Patel was subsequently arrested and charged with theft over $250,000. He is currently held at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on a $100,000 bond and is scheduled for a court appearance on July 30. It remains unclear whether he has legal representation.
The case has drawn widespread attention due to its unusual circumstances and serves as a cautionary tale about the vulnerabilities associated with lottery winnings and the importance of honesty in retail transactions. As the legal proceedings continue, the affected father is left to contemplate what might have been his life-changing windfall, now caught in a legal dispute over rightful ownership of the million-dollar ticket.
