Not so lucky! Powerball winner Edwin Castro is served at his new $25million California mansion with bombshell lawsuit that claims his $2billion winning lottery ticket was STOLEN and used in blackmail scheme
By Alex Lang For Dailymail.Com02:07 BST 26 May 2023 , updated 04:29 BST 26 May 2023
Edwin Castro won $2billion in a Powerball lottery draw with the numbers 10, 33, 41, 47, 56, and Powerball 10- The 30-year-old he is being sued with allegations the ticket sold in California in November, 2022 was stolen
- Jose Rivera says he should receive the prize money which Castro has used to buy two homes for a total of $29million and a vintage Porsche
Castro, 30, was at his new $25million mansion in California Thursday when he was served with the lawsuit.
The winning Powerball ticket was sold at Joe's Service Center in Altadena, California, for the November drawing that captivated the nation.
Castro claimed the winning ticket and California lottery officials say he is the rightful owner of the $2billion prize.
But that hasn't stopped Jose Rivera from filing a lawsuit claiming the winning ticket was his.
Edwin Castro was served with a lawsuit that alleges his $2billion winning Powerball lottery ticket was stolen
Rivera claims a man named 'Reggie' stole the ticket and refused to return it, saying it was a dud.
Reggie also reportedly said if did turn out to be a winner, that he would give up half the winnings.
Rivera said he refused to be blackmailed and reported the alleged theft to police and lottery officials.
Both Castro and Reggie were named as co-defendants in the suit, according to a U.S. Sun report.
The winning ticket - 10, 33, 41, 47, 56, and Powerball 10 - was sold at the Altadena store, which also saw a $1million payout for the historic win.
Workers at the Service Center told DailyMail.com that there was little evidence to support claims the ticket was stolen.
'California Lottery have strict regulations about how they choose a winner, this guy is crazy, he came in here with his attorney yelling about it and there's nothing we can do,' a worker said.
The employee added lottery officials obtained surveillance video and went through it frame by frame for the vetted winner.
'When it comes to the vetting process for big winners, California Lottery has the utmost confidence in its process for doing so,' the California lottery said in a statement to DailyMail.com.
'California Lottery remains confident that Edwin Castro is the rightful winner of the $2.04billion prize stemming from the Powerball drawing in November of 2022.'
Castro has been spotted leaving a bank in a vintage Porsche and purchased two California homes for $29million since taking home nearly $1billion after taxes from his lottery win
At the time of the win, lottery director Alva Johnson said Castro wanted to remain private and had declined an invitation from lottery officials to attend the press conference.
In a prepared statement Castro said: 'As much as I am shocked and ecstatic to have won the Powerball drawing, the real winner is the California public school system.'
Public schools in California act as a beneficiary to the state's lottery.
It means the education system received over $156 million as a result of the record-breaking win.
After winning, Castro took the lump sum payment that totaled $997.6million after taxes.
Workers at the center that sold the winning ticket were not as private as they celebrated their $1million windfall.
Joe Chahayed, won $1million for selling the record-breaking $2.04billion Powerball ticket.
At the time, Chahayed said he would share the winnings with his entire family.
Chahayed - the father-in-law of former NFL player Domata Peko - held up a huge check outside his gas station alongside family wearing a 'millionaire made here' shirt.
'We are excited,' he said at a press conference with California Lottery in November last year.
'I'll share it with family, with whatever is needed, with my kids, my grandchildren. I have 11 grandchildren and I'll share with them.'
His son, who was at the press conference, said 'no one else deserves it more than this man.'
Castro has been living large since his winning, buying two separate California mansions for a total of $29 million
Castro's new $4million in Altadena, California, comes with its own home theater and expensive artwork
Castro has also bought at $25million home just 20 miles from his $4million property in California
The sprawling 13,578-square-foot hillside estate, which comes complete with a full outdoor kitchen, gym, wine cellar and infinity pool
Castro has been living large since his winning, buying two separate California mansions for a total of $29 million. He was also seen driving away from a bank in a vintage Porsche.
One of his new homes is a $4million mansion in the Los Angeles area. The home comes with its own home theater, private office and expensive artwork, which is sure to be improved given Castro's hefty new bank balance.
The Altadena home is only a short drive from where Castro grew up.
If Castro tires of the $4 million estate, he is only around 20 miles from his second California complex, which he bought for $25 million just eight days prior.
The sprawling 13,578-square-foot hillside estate, which comes complete with a full outdoor kitchen, gym, wine cellar and infinity pool.
Castro was served with the lawsuit while at his new $25million mansion, according to reports.
SOURCE: DailyMail
Source:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...sion-claiming-2B-Powerball-ticket-stolen.html
