A Houston, Texas lady pleaded responsible this week to stealing a $1 million “scratch-off” lottery ticket from her cousin and taking the lump-sum payout of $500,000 in November 2020, in keeping with the Nassau County, New York district legal professional.
Nassau County District Lawyer Anne T. Donnely introduced the plea in a press launch on Friday, saying Iris Amador Argueta, 34, pleaded responsible earlier than Choose Howard Sturim to second-degree grand larceny.
In return, Argueta is predicted to be sentenced to 16-48 months in jail, on March 15, 2023.
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“This defendant thought she hit the jackpot when she handed off her cousin’s $1 million profitable ‘scratch-off’ ticket as her personal and claimed a lump sum payout of greater than $500,000,” Donnelly mentioned within the launch. “However her grasping actions additionally spelled the tip of her luck, and now she is going to serve time in jail for her crime.”
A joint investigation carried out by the Glen Cove Police Division and Donnelly’s workplace discovered that the sufferer, Argueta’s cousin, bought a New York state Lottery $5 Hod ‘Em Poker scratch-off ticket at a comfort retailer in Glen Cove on Oct. 28, 2020. When the sufferer scratched the ticket off, it revealed a $1 million prize.
The DA’s workplace mentioned the sufferer requested Argueta to assert the prize on his behalf to stay nameless, promising $50,000 of the prize.
Argueta, who lived in Virginia on the time, agreed to assert the prize on the sufferer’s behalf and drove to New York to obtain the winnings.
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On the time, although, the New York State Gaming Fee was not accepting profitable tickets in individual, so the Argueta mailed the ticket to the fee on Nov. 13, 202 as a substitute.
Inside weeks, Argueta reportedly went to ship the NYS Lottery paperwork to her cousin, which mentioned the value winnings totaled $20,000. Together with the paperwork, she handed her cousin an envelope with $13,436 in money, and mentioned the remaining was held for taxes.
The sufferer discovered a press launch from the NYS Lottery web site saying Argueta claimed the $1 million prize and obtained a lump-sum payout of $537,440 after taxes, the DA’s workplace mentioned.
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The DA added that the sufferer referred to as Argueta, who mentioned she didn’t have any more cash and if continued to name her, she would take authorized motion.
In Might 2022, Argueta forfeited $317,857.13 in winnings from her checking account, which have been returned to the sufferer.