Ontario Provincial Police have charged a 70-year-old man with fraud and theft after he allegedly claimed to be the sole winner of a $1 million jackpot that was won on a group play lottery ticket.
The OPP said in a release that Alex Parucha claimed an Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) Lotto Max ticket in July that was intended to be split among three people.
An Aug. 12 OLG press release detailed Parucha as the million-dollar winner from a May 20 Lotto Max draw after a ticket purchased at a Toronto retailer matched seven Encore numbers.
“I won a Free Play, so I went to the store to claim it,” Parucha said in the OLG release. “When I handed my ticket to the cashier, she asked me if I wanted to add ENCORE to it, so I said, ‘Sure, why not? Being a winner is a very emotional experience. It’s brought a lot of disbelief, happiness, and excitement. I feel so fortunate to have won this prize.”
After paying out the winnings to Parucha, OLG’s forensic team reviewed initial claims of fraud before referring the case to the OPP. The OPP’s investigation and enforcement bureau (IEB), a part of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), began investigating in September. Police verified that the ticket was part of a group play arrangement.
Parucha faces charges of theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime. He was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 8. The allegations haven’t been proven in court.
His lawyer told CTV News that Parucha “categorically denies” all of the allegations and charges laid against him and insists that he did “nothing wrong.” The lawyer added that the dispute over the winnings involves “complex facts” that will be addressed in court.
