A maintenance worker from Syracuse who got swindled out of his $5 million winnings from a scratcher lottery ticket will finally get paid this month-7 years after he first won the prize.
According to lottery officials from The Gaming Commission who spoke with the Associated Press Thursday, Robert Miles was the verified owner of the winning ticket. Within the next couple of weeks, he should see a significantly higher balance on his bank statement.
Miles first purchased the winning Extravaganza scratch-off ticket in October 2006 from a convenience store in the central New York city.
Store owner Nayef Ashkar's two sons Andy and Nayel told Miles that the ticket was worth a mere $5,000, and offered to buy the winnings from him for $4,000. Tempted by the instant cash, Miles agreed. The two brothers claimed the jackpot six years later, which led investigators to check out the situation.
They found Andy and Nayel Ashkar guilty for possessing a stolen ticket, and sentenced the two Camillus brothers to prison for up to 25 years at the time. But now, the two have been cleared of conspiracy charges, the AP reported.
Andy is still considered guilty of possessing stolen property.
Their father, in an effort to protect his sons, submitted false proof and later admitted that he'd lied in a state lottery affidavit, the Associated Press reported further.
Last year, Miles claimed the ticket as his once he caught wind of the fact that the Ashkar brothers were in hot water.
Miles testified during the two brothers' trial, explaining that he was a crack cocaine addict in October 2006, and that he was not in his right mind when the Ashkars convinced him to sell off the winning ticket.
Miles' lawyer said that his client was "elated the lottery prize has finally been awarded to him."
Gaming Commission officials said that Miles can either take the money all at once-yielding payment of $2,124,378 after taxes-or get paid out $250,000 a year over the next 20 years.
