They say the victim, who has asked not to be identified by police, purchased a $30 scratch-off ticket at a Lucky Grocery Store on 20 December “with hopes of winning a little extra cash for the holidays”.<\/p>\n
The man, who had mistakenly thought he had won $10,000 at first, “returned home and shared this wonderful news with his two roommates”, according to investigators.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He went to collect his fortune the next day, but was told that his lottery ticket was not a winner.<\/p>\n Suspecting that his roommate had swapped it, he immediately called police to report the theft.<\/p>\n The following day, his roommate, Mr Saosongyang, reported to the Lottery’s Sacramento district office, where investigators began their routine investigation as they do with all winnings over $600.<\/p>\n As part of their review process, lottery investigators visited the Lucky Grocery Store, where they were informed that the ticket may have been stolen.<\/p>\n They contacted police and together determined Mr Saosongyang purchased a similar scratch-off card, altered and swapped it with the winning ticket while his roommate was sleeping.<\/p>\n On Monday Mr Saosongyang was “invited” to come collect his stolen winnings, investigators say, “but instead of him celebrating his big win he was arrested”.<\/p>\n Police say the winner has not yet received his windfall, as the lottery completes their administrative investigation.<\/p>\n Source: bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"Adul](\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/4BD4\/production\/_105121491_capt324236ure.jpg\")
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