Scammed New Yorker Finally Collects $5 million Lottery Prize
Seven years and one criminal trial later a man from New York is finally able to collect the $5 million he won in a lottery jackpot. Last week New York State Lottery officials announced that Robert Miles of Syracuse is the rightful winner of a scratch-off lotto ticket from 2006 after the prize had initially been claimed by a family of convenience store workers.
After 7 years Robert Miles is finally able to collect his prize after workers at a convenience store tried to scam the prize from him.
In October 2006 Miles handed in the winning ticket to the Green Ale Market in Syracuse where he was informed by the store workers, Andy and Nayel Ashkar, that the ticket was just worth $5,000 of which they kept $1,000.
Last year the brothers attempted to claim the ticket which resulted in an investigation by state gaming officials. In May Andy Ashkar was convicted of being in possession of a stolen lottery ticket and was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison. The store’s owner, Nayef Ashkar, pleaded guilty to filing a false instrument and confessed to lying in a state lottery affidavit. He will face trial in September on conspiracy charges.
Miles’ attorney Steve Gamareri said that he is “elated the lottery prize has finally been awarded him.”
