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TX store clerk ran off with $1 million lottery ticket
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A clerk at a Texas store allegedly ran off with a winning lottery ticket after telling the person, 67-year-old Willis Willis, who came into the store to check his numbers that he was not a winner. According to an Associated Press report, the clerk, 25-year-old Pankaj Joshi, reportedly took the Mega Millions megaplier ticket to a redemption center and collected approximately $750,000 (after taxes). Joshi had the money wired to a bank account, then disappeared.
The manager, Nick Parveez, of Lucky's Food Store in Grand Prairie where Joshi had been an employee said he was surprised by the event. However, he was the person who called in suspicions to the lottery commission after he learned that his store had sold a million dollar ticket around the time that Joshi disappeared. The ticket was sold in May. Parveez didn't become aware of it until July.
Authorities have strong evidence to suggest that the ticket was in fact purchased by Willis and they hope to give the money to him. They have recovered at least $365,000 so far.
Joshi is still at large. Authorities believe he may have returned to his homeland of Nepal.
Joshi reportedly had worked at the convenience store for five years and was a student at the University of Texas at Arlington.
Joshi, though he has not been found, has been charged with claiming a lottery prize by fraud and could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison if he is convicted. His bond has been set at $10 million.
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