Online publication Syracuse.com has reported a lottery that is alleged fraudulence in ny’s Syracuse area dating right back to 2006, that involves two brothers from central brand New York who claimed a $5 million lottery ticket sold at their family’s convenience store. Subsequently, they’ve been accused of scamming the winner out of his scratchcard winnings.

Now Being Charged

Second-degree attempted larceny that is grand fourth-degree conspiracy charges are actually being filed against 36-year-old Nayel Ashkar and Andy Ashkar, aged 34, who’s got also been charged with first-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Following reports to a Syracuse newspaper by suspicious lottery security officials looking for the real winner of the prize, the buyer that is legitimate owner of the lottery scratch-off came forward and was revealed as a father of two, aged 49, who was simply duped by the brothers into giving up the winning admission whenever he visited the Ashkar’s convenience store in October 2006 to cash it in.

Whether it was a silly mistake, or simply sheer disbelief, the true winner of this ticket originally thought it was a prize of $5,000 which he would be claiming, despite being told by way of a friend that it was in fact a $5 million jackpot. He had been told by Andy Ashkar, upon trying to money in the ticket, it had been just a $5,000 prize and had been provided $4,000 in cash from Ashkar to be able to avoid paying income tax on the winnings, an offer he foolishly accepted.

Fast Forward to Today

Five years later, after waiting patiently to cash the ticket in for its full worth, the brothers approached the lottery officials and stated that they had delayed gathering their winnings in order to avoid affecting future family nuptials.

Luckily for the winner that is true it’s routine for the lottery to scrutinize large wins, and upon doing so, protection officials became suspicious of the brothers who had told them to avoid publicity, they had been prepared to accept a smaller prize than the $5 million the ticket entitled them to. Because of this, local authorities were called in, and the subsequent investigation revealed the owner that is true.

But, the Ashkar brothers have pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them, and their legal representative claims that they bought, and would be the rightful owners of, the winning lottery solution which would have seen them pocket the winnings in installments of $250,000 per year during the period of 20 years.

Judge and Jury

The brothers have elected for a judge to rule on their case, instead than a jury, as the winner is charges that are currently pressing the Ashkars.

‘ I feel much better having it in the tactile hands of somebody who is trained legitimately, who understands the law and know how to use the legislation,’ explained one of many brothers’ protection solicitors. ‘Everything is going to be based upon the known facts, and not on emotion. Juries tend to work on emotion, and everybody on a jury in this full case would have a predisposition,’ the attorney added.

We can give to the duped man who was essentially attempting to evade national tax laws although we cannot condone the actions of the Ashkar brothers who, allegedly, saw an opportunity to become millionaires at the expense of a gullible scratchcard player, there is only so much sympathy. Perhaps this will be an action which will be revisited later if the case falls in his favor.

Moral of the whole story: Keep your lottery seats, and spend your taxes.