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Jose Rivera has filed a lawsuit against the winner of the largest lottery jackpot in history, claiming that his winning ticket was stolen from him. Rivera alleges that he purchased his ticket the day before the drawing and that a man named "Reggie" stole it from him. Despite attempting to retrieve the ticket, Rivera was unsuccessful, and he reported the theft to the California Lottery and law enforcement.
Edwin Castro was announced as the winner of the prize, and Rivera submitted a claim form to the California Lottery, claiming that his ticket had been stolen and requesting an investigation before the winnings were paid out. Rivera's lawsuit lists both Castro and Reggie as defendants, and he is seeking damages and a declaration that he is the rightful winner of the $2.04 billion jackpot. While the details of the lawsuit are not entirely clear, it remains to be seen how this legal challenge will impact the outcome of the historic Powerball drawing.
The California Lottery is not authorized to investigate criminal activity among its players, and any allegations of such are subject to investigation by local law enforcement. The California Lottery's role is to assist local law enforcement by answering questions and providing evidence, as permitted by law. In the case of the $2.04 billion Powerball drawing in November 2022, the California Lottery is confident in its process for vetting big winners and maintains that Edwin Castro is the rightful winner of the prize.