Unlucky Lottery Winner Loses RM6.1 Million To Shop Boss' Cousin
Never get anyone to buy your lottery tickets.
By Sukhbir Cheema — 30 Dec 2024, 04:46 PM
For many, winning the lottery symbolises life-changing fortune.
For Yao, a water delivery worker in Xi'an, China, it became the start of a five-year ordeal filled with lawsuits, debt, and frustration.
According to South China Morning Post, in 2019, Yao sent 20 yuan (RM12.25) to a local lottery shop owner, Wang, asking him to buy two tickets.
Wang photographed the tickets and sent them to Yao for confirmation.
That evening, one of the tickets hit the jackpot, a staggering 10 million yuan (RM6.1 million).
When Yao rushed to claim his prize, Wang delivered shocking news: the winning ticket wasn't Yao's
Wang claimed he had sent the wrong photo and struck an agreement to pay Yao 150,000 yuan (RM91,844) as "spiritual compensation," deleting their chat records in the process.
Two months later, Yao discovered Wang's cousin, Gao, had cashed in the prize, walking away with 8 million yuan (RM4.9 million) after taxes.
Determined to reclaim his winnings, Yao launched a legal battle. Courts ultimately ruled in his favour, declaring the ticket rightfully his and ordering Gao and Wang to repay the prize.
Yet, Yao's legal victory proved hollow. With the bank accounts of both Gao and Wang empty and their homes failing to sell at auction, Yao remains unpaid.
Now in his 40s, Yao's life has been upended. With a modest monthly income of 3,000 yuan (RM1,837), he's drained his savings and accumulated significant debt to fund his legal fight.
"I've received not a single cent," Yao lamented. "This has destroyed my life."
As Yao's lawyer presses the court to trace the missing funds, his battle serves as a cautionary tale about trust and the perils of unchecked greed.
