Lottery fraud victim demands answers

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Attorneys for defrauded Texas Lottery winner Willis Willis are asking a judge to require Texas Lottery Commission officials to answer key questions under oath regarding how a lottery agent was able to redeem Willis' $1 million winning ticket without raising suspicions.

The commission refused to give the winnings to Willis, even though a store clerk stole the winning ticket from him. In the commissions' eyes, once the store clerk signed the back of the ticket, the winnings were his.

"We know that fraud by lottery agents is a recognized problem, well-known by Texas Lottery Commission officials," said Randy Howry. "The theft and continued non-payment of $1 million to Mr. Willis is just the most glaring example. The public needs to have confidence in the Texas Lottery, and that will never happen until we know all of the details surrounding the theft of Mr. Willis' $1 million jackpot and until Mr. Willis receives all the money he won fair and square."

Willis played the lottery often. On May 29, he bought the winning ticket, but when he went to check the lottery results, the clerk, later identified as Pankaj Joshi, Joshi said he had only won $2. Joshi later presented the stolen ticket at the commission office in Austin and was given the payout of $750,006.

Joshi has been indicted on a felony charge, but he fled the country, so law enforcement have yet to apprehend him.

"Texas Lottery officials have not adequately explained how this fraud occurred – they haven't even publicly apologized," said Sean Breen. "Mr. Willis deserves to know how the lottery allowed this fraud to occur, how the lottery plans to keep it from happening again and when he will be paid."

A hearing on the matter has not been scheduled yet.