Judge rules Iowa lottery fraudsters jointly and severally liable to repay winnings
An Iowa court judge has ruled that two roommates convicted of lottery fraud must jointly and severally repay $30,000 to the state lottery agency.
Sandra "Sandy" Crowe was caught scamming $30,000 out of $3 worth of candy cane crossword scratch-off coupons purchased by her roommate, Alvin Hans Larsen III bonus. The Evansdale, Iowa, couple hatched a plan in November 2022 to pass off Crow as the winner so Larson could avoid paying money owed to the state, the Quad Cities Times reported.
At a trial in November 2023, Crow was found guilty of misdemeanor Lottery Fraud and fined $500, plus fees and surcharges. Larson pleaded guilty to lottery fraud a month ago and received deferred sentencing, which will see the case expunged from his record after two years of probation.
In promotional materials for the Iowa Lottery, Crow can be seen smiling at the camera and holding an oversized novelty check for $30,000. Based on the lottery, she chose the flat rate of $21,300.
Roommates had a falling out
But things began to unravel for the couple when, a month after winning the lottery, police were called to their home following reports of a domestic disturbance. When police arrived, they heard Crowe and Larson arguing about money.
"I cashed the ticket. I was not entitled to the money," according to the police report.
"Yeah, it was cheating. She said I won," Larson told one of the officers.
Crow added, "He asked me to cash it so he wouldn't have to pay what he owed." She then changed her story, claiming the ticket was a gift from Larson.
But when police asked Larson about the ticket, he said it wasn't true and spilled the beans. He admitted he was trying to avoid paying a $560 debt.
Win is invalid
Last month, Crow's attorney, Kimberly DePalma, argued in court that damages should be limited to the $560 debt and not the full $30,000 the Iowa Lottery is seeking for the winning ticket. Dollar.
"There is no doubt that the lottery at issue in this case actually won $30,000. There is no claim that this was a counterfeit or forged ticket," DePalma wrote in court documents.
However, District Court Judge John Sullivan ruled that the fraudulent claims invalidated the prizes and should be refunded in full. Crowe "had no legal right to possess the ticket or to present it for redemption. Therefore, under the statute, she was not entitled to the award."
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Source: www.casino.org
