On line publication Syracuse.com has reported a lottery that is alleged fraud in nyc’s Syracuse area dating right back to 2006, that involves two brothers from central brand New York who claimed a $5 million lottery ticket sold at their loved ones’s convenience store. Subsequently, they have been accused of scamming the winner out of his scratchcard winnings.

Now Being Charged

Second-degree attempted larceny that is grand fourth-degree conspiracy charges are now being filed against 36-year-old Nayel Ashkar and Andy Ashkar, aged 34, who has also been charged with first-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Following reports to a Syracuse newspaper by suspicious lottery security officials looking for the true champion of the prize, the buyer that is legitimate owner associated with lottery scratch-off came ahead and was revealed as a daddy of two, aged 49, who was simply duped by the brothers into giving up the winning solution when he visited the Ashkar’s convenience store in October 2006 to cash it in.

That it was a prize of $5,000 which he would be claiming, despite being told by a friend that it was in fact a $5 million jackpot whether it was a silly mistake, or just sheer disbelief, the true winner of the ticket originally thought. He was told by Andy Ashkar, upon trying to money in the ticket, he foolishly accepted that it was just a $5,000 prize and was offered $4,000 in cash from Ashkar in order to avoid paying tax on the winnings, an offer.

Today fast Forward to

Five years later, after waiting patiently to cash the ticket in for its full worth, the brothers approached the lottery officials and stated that they had delayed collecting their winnings in order to avoid affecting future family members nuptials.

Luckily for the real winner, it is routine for the lottery to scrutinize large wins, and upon doing so, protection officials became suspicious of the brothers who had told them to avoid promotion, they had been prepared to accept a smaller award than the $5 million the ticket entitled them to. Because of this, local police were called in, and the subsequent investigation revealed the true owner.

But, the Ashkar brothers have pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them, and their legal representative claims that they purchased, and are the rightful owners of, the winning lottery solution which would have seen them pocket the winnings in installments of $250,000 per year during the period of two decades.

Judge and Jury

The brothers have elected for the judge to rule on their case, instead than a jury, as the winner is charges that are currently pressing the Ashkars.

‘ I vegas royal feel far better having it in the hands of somebody that is trained legally, who understands the law and know how to apply the legislation,’ explained one of the brothers’ defense attorneys. ‘Everything will probably be based upon the known facts, and not on emotion. Juries tend working on emotion, and everybody for a jury in this case would have a predisposition,’ the attorney included.

We can give to the duped man who was essentially attempting to evade national tax laws although we cannot condone the actions of the Ashkar brothers who, allegedly, saw an opportunity to become millionaires at the expense of a gullible scratchcard player, there is only so much sympathy. Perhaps this will be an action which will be revisited later if the case falls in his benefit.

Moral of the whole story: Keep your lottery tickets, and pay your taxes.