Columbus store clerk cheated lottery winners
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A worker at a gas station in Columbus has been arrested with charges of theft and telecommunications fraud after he cheated undercover agents of their lottery winnings, totalling $6,200.
Mahmoud Ikhlayel, 55 is the first person to be charged under a new initiative to see that lottery winners are not cheated of any winnings when they have their tickets checked. The Lottery said it had received complaints about Mr. Ikhlayel and his employers co-operated fully in the sting operation.
Undercover agents gave the store clerk two winning Ohio Lottery tickets. Ikhlayel supposedly told the agents that the tickets were not in fact winners and ended up pocketing the winnings for himself.
Mr. Ikhlayel pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.
Published: May 24, 2010
