A woman purchased a winning Lotto Texas jackpot ticket in February. Three months later, she claims she has yet to receive her prize. 💰
AUSTIN, Texas — A woman who purchased a winning $83.5 million lottery ticket in Central Texas in February is now suing the acting deputy executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission.
The woman claims she still has not received payment three months after purchasing the winning Lotto Texas jackpot ticket at a retailer in North Austin.
The woman is represented by Howry, Breen & Herman, LLP, which stated that, “When you win, the Lottery should pay you – not stall, not waffle, not haw, not try and change the rules and not try to back out of the deal.”
According to the suit, the woman purchased the winning ticket through Jackpocket, a popular third-party courier system used for online purchases.
Shortly after the drawing on Feb. 17, the Texas Lottery Commission banned third-party couriers across the state. The suit states that the announcement was made by previous commission executive director Ryan Mindell, who resigned in April “amid the mounting scrutiny,” according to The Texas Tribune.
The woman allegedly reached out to the commission’s current deputy executive director, Sergio Rey, along with Mindell. She said she has not heard back from either of them. The suit states the woman has since gotten “caught up in a maelstrom of Texas political theater” following the drawing.
Now she wants a judgement stating Rey must pay her the full $83.5 million amount, and that he and Mindell “performed and continue to perform ultra vires acts by refusing to pay,” according to the suit.
She is also seeking injunctive relief, which would ensure that Rey would not be permitted to disburse, waste or diminish the prize money. Additionally, the woman is asking for all attorney costs to be covered.
KVUE reached out to the Texas Lottery Commission for a statement on the lawsuit. The commission said it does not comment on pending litigation.