A Massachusetts man was finally able to claim his $3 million lottery prize Friday, over six months after the winning ticket was stolen from him by two convenience store workers who were nabbed when they openly argued about how to distribute the loot in the lobby of the lotto headquarters, authorities say.
Diesel mechanic Paul Little went into the Lakeville Market & Liquors on January 17 and bought two Mega Millions Quick Picks and two Mass Cash tickets, adding a multiplier to increase his potential winnings, as well as a bag of barbecue potato chips.
Carly Nunes, 23, printed out the tickets and then rang up the rest of Little’s order but he left the tickets he’d bought behind. He assumed them lost, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office.
Authorities say that’s when Nunes and one of her co-workers concocted a scheme to steal the ticket and when the ticket turned out to be a winner, the pair went to lottery headquarters to try to claim the money which is where their plan quickly unraveled.
At a press conference on Friday where he finally received his $3 million, Little expressed his desire to pay off his mortgage and to donate money to charity.
Paul Little went into the store in Lakeville on January 17 and bought two Mega Millions Quick Picks and two Mass Cash tickets, as well as a bag of barbecue potato chips. He also added a multiplier to increase his potential winnings
On that January day, Carly Nunes actually ended up giving the tickets by mistake to the next customer to purchase lotto vouchers 45 minutes after Little. That person gave them back after discovering he’d been given two extras.
Officials claim Nunes took the tickets and said they must have belonged to ‘him,’ meaning Little.
That night, the numbers were drawn, and Nunes was in possession of a multi-million dollar winning ticket.
Joseph Reddem, 32, Nunes’ co-worker, drove Nunes and her boyfriend to the local lottery headquarters in Dorchester two days later, according to MassLive.
Clerks at the lotto office noted that the ticket was both torn and had burn marks on it.
While on security footage at Massachusetts State Lottery headquarters, they were set to celebrate their winnings when Nunes and Reddem started to argue.
Officials overheard Reddem demanding a larger cut of the winnings after Nunes said she would only give him $200,000.
After overhearing the argument, they decided to keep Nunes for further questioning about the ticket because of the poor condition it was in.
Nines claimed the burn marks on the ticket came from placing it on a pipe and she’d accidentally torn it while taking it out of her wallet.
Unsatisfied, officials told her ‘she would receive the jackpot prize at the conclusion’ of an investigation from the state lottery.
Carly Nunes (pictured right), 23, printed out the tickets and then rang up the rest of Little’s order but Little left the tickets he’d bought behind
Suspect Carly Nunes during a court appearance following arrest on charges relating to the theft of the lottery ticket
Clerks at the lotto office noted that the ticket was both torn and had burn marks on it
State Lottery Officials and the state police went back and looked at security footage from the convenience store to show Little purchasing the winning ticket.
Nunes finally admitted to officials she didn’t buy the ticket, only admitting she took it by accident.
She then went on the run for two weeks before eventually being caught by state police. Nunes pleaded not guilty to all charges related to the incident in court Tuesday.
Nunes is being held on $10,000 cash bail on charges of larceny from a building and attempted larceny, along with presentation of a false claim and witness intimidation.
Reddem pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted extortion, according to the district attorney’s office.
He was allowed to go free but is not allowed to gamble or contact either Nunes or any other witnesses in the case. His next court date is scheduled for July 28.
Little finally accepted his rightful $3million prize Friday morning in Dorchester at those same state lottery headquarters. In order to identify Little, Massachusetts lottery officials initiated a flyer campaign in the area around the store.
Prior to being contacted by authorities, he never knew he left a million dollar ticket in the store, having assumed he lost the ticket and only discovered he was a millionaire while being questioned as part of the investigation.
Joseph Reddem, 32, Nunes’ co-worker, drove Nunes and her boyfriend to the local lottery headquarters in Dorchester two days later
Little finally accepted his rightful $3million prize Friday morning in Dorchester at those same state lottery headquarters
‘I’ve got to say, I’m pretty excited today because it’s real today with the check in hand,’ he told CBS Boston.
‘It really gave me a greater appreciation for what the Mass Lottery does as far as making sure the rightful people get the award,’ said Little. ‘I can’t say enough for all the people who helped me get to this point.’
Little – a diesel mechanic who is going to keep his job – plans to pay off his mortgage and fix up his home, as well as donating money to charity.
