UPDATE: Lotto Commission says No Flaws in Tickets
By: Marci Manley, KARK 4 News
Updated: May 4, 2012
May 4 Update:
The Arkansas Lottery Commissions says it's had an opportunity to review the tickets at the center of the lawsuit and says the tickets have no flaws or defects.
In a statement to the media, the Lotto Commission says this isn't the case of bad tickets but rather someone scratching a ticket prior to sale which could be a violation of state law.
The Little Rock Police Department is investigating the case.
April 27 Update:
Lottery Commission response:
"The Arkansas Lottery Commission doesn't comment on pending litigation. The matter alleged was investigated by Lottery Security on Tuesday. Soon afterward, management at the retail location informed us that three individuals had lost their jobs. The Lottery placed the issue in the hands of the Little Rock Police Department Financial Crimes unit. It will be readily apparent to a player if anyone has attempted to determine the value without fully scratching a ticket. In fact, the tampering was reported by a player. Tampering with or altering a lottery ticket is a felony in Arkansas, and we take each instance of lottery crime very seriously. All steps will continue to be taken to ensure and protect the integrity of all ALC games."
Original story:
A lawsuit filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court alleges Arkansas Lottery Commission personnel allowed faulty ticket to remain on retail shelves.
Rick Tomboli, an Arkansas Scholarship Lottery player, says in court documents he purchased two $20 "Arkansas Millionaires Club" tickets from an authorized retailer. The suit alleges Tomboli noticed a tiny pin prick on the instant win tickets on the section of the ticket called "Bonus $50".
Tomboli says in the suit that the next few tickets in the case also had the same pin pricks on the same portion of the ticket. He says a friend contacted the Lottery Commission's fraud hotline, and the next day the lottery's Director of Security Lance Huey interviewed Tomboli about the tickets.
According to Tomboli, Huey told him the tickets would be pulled from sale, citing a problem in the manufacturing of tickets and they had been floated incorrectly. Tomboli also alleges Huey also offered him an assortment of Arkansas Lottery memorabilia, assuring him those involved with the tampering had been fired from the retailer.
However, when Tomboli returned to the store, he says he noticed the same tickets were available and one of the clerks who had sold him the tickets before remained on the job.
Huey "frantically called him back" the next day, the suit says, telling Tomboli that lottery didn't want to pull the game from store shelves, fearing a lost of money from sales if it had to wait for the tickets to be reprinted. According to the suit, Huey told Tomboli not to tell anyone about the flawed tickets.
The suit alleges that the tampering of the tickets allows retailers to knowingly sell consumers non-winning lottery tickets, and that the Lottery Commission has allowed it to continue.
Phone calls to Lottery spokesperson Julie Baldridge, thus far, have not been returned. To read the entire suit, click the download document button below.
The Arkansas Lottery Commissions says it's had an opportunity to review the tickets at the center of the lawsuit and says the tickets have no flaws or defects.
In a statement to the media, the Lotto Commission says this isn't the case of bad tickets but rather someone scratching a ticket prior to sale which could be a violation of state law.
The Little Rock Police Department is investigating the case.
April 27 Update:
Lottery Commission response:
"The Arkansas Lottery Commission doesn't comment on pending litigation. The matter alleged was investigated by Lottery Security on Tuesday. Soon afterward, management at the retail location informed us that three individuals had lost their jobs. The Lottery placed the issue in the hands of the Little Rock Police Department Financial Crimes unit. It will be readily apparent to a player if anyone has attempted to determine the value without fully scratching a ticket. In fact, the tampering was reported by a player. Tampering with or altering a lottery ticket is a felony in Arkansas, and we take each instance of lottery crime very seriously. All steps will continue to be taken to ensure and protect the integrity of all ALC games."
Original story:
A lawsuit filed in Pulaski County Circuit Court alleges Arkansas Lottery Commission personnel allowed faulty ticket to remain on retail shelves.
Rick Tomboli, an Arkansas Scholarship Lottery player, says in court documents he purchased two $20 "Arkansas Millionaires Club" tickets from an authorized retailer. The suit alleges Tomboli noticed a tiny pin prick on the instant win tickets on the section of the ticket called "Bonus $50".
Tomboli says in the suit that the next few tickets in the case also had the same pin pricks on the same portion of the ticket. He says a friend contacted the Lottery Commission's fraud hotline, and the next day the lottery's Director of Security Lance Huey interviewed Tomboli about the tickets.
According to Tomboli, Huey told him the tickets would be pulled from sale, citing a problem in the manufacturing of tickets and they had been floated incorrectly. Tomboli also alleges Huey also offered him an assortment of Arkansas Lottery memorabilia, assuring him those involved with the tampering had been fired from the retailer.
However, when Tomboli returned to the store, he says he noticed the same tickets were available and one of the clerks who had sold him the tickets before remained on the job.
Huey "frantically called him back" the next day, the suit says, telling Tomboli that lottery didn't want to pull the game from store shelves, fearing a lost of money from sales if it had to wait for the tickets to be reprinted. According to the suit, Huey told Tomboli not to tell anyone about the flawed tickets.
The suit alleges that the tampering of the tickets allows retailers to knowingly sell consumers non-winning lottery tickets, and that the Lottery Commission has allowed it to continue.
Phone calls to Lottery spokesperson Julie Baldridge, thus far, have not been returned. To read the entire suit, click the download document button below.
