December 11th 2024.
A Mega Millions player has taken legal action against the California Lottery, claiming that he is entitled to the remaining half of a $394 million jackpot. The winner, Faramarz Lahijani, is dissatisfied with receiving only half of the winnings and believes that he should also be given the other share, as he had purchased two tickets with the same numbers.
According to a report by Patch, Lahijani had been playing the same set of numbers for over three decades and had chosen the numbers 21, 26, 53, 66, 70, and the gold Mega Millions ball number 13. His children had selected the numbers for him and he had purchased the tickets from a Chevron gas station in Encino, California.
When Lahijani came forward with one of the tickets and claimed his half of the jackpot, he also stated that he had purchased two tickets and had lost the second one. He then proceeded to take legal action against the California Lottery, alleging breach of contract. He claimed that by submitting the first ticket, he was entitled to the entire jackpot.
The lawsuit was filed just before the deadline for the second ticket holder to claim their share of the winnings. The spokesperson for the California Lottery stated that they could not comment on an active lawsuit, in order to protect the integrity of the process. However, at the time of the drawing, officials had mentioned that it was possible for a player to choose an identical combination of numbers at the same store.
The spokesperson, Carolyn Becker, had stated that while it was unusual and interesting, it was not unheard of for this to happen. There could be various reasons for it, such as one person wanting to try their luck with two different rows or a group of friends deciding to use the same numbers. The California Lottery has not made any public comments regarding the lawsuit.
It is not uncommon for lottery winners to face legal disputes over their winnings. In a similar case, the family of a Maine man who won a $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot also sued him for breaking a promise to share the funds. As for Lahijani, he remains determined to fight for what he believes is rightfully his. Stay updated on this ongoing story by following us on Whatsapp for breaking news and juicy stories. We will continue to provide updates as the situation unfolds.
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