![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/lotto-scam-saw-shopkeeper-launch-daring-bid-to-keep-4m-jackpot-for-himself/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/newspress-collage-23401082-1691527876541.jpg&description=A SPANISH shopkeeper allegedly launched a fake hunt to find the owner of a winning lottery ticket in a bid to claim the cash himself. Police claim Manuel Reija Gonzalez staged an elaborate plot with his lotto official brother to try and bag the £4.05million prize money. 2 Manuel Reija Gonzalez has been accused of trying to defraud the rightful winner Credit: Euro News 2 He has now been charged after an extensive investigation into the lotto scam Credit: Euro News The ticket seller in the city of A Coruna was hailed as a local hero in June 2012 after launching a public appeal to find the customer who bought it from him. He told local news that he was on a mission to reunite the ticket with the rightful owner rather than keeping the windfall for himself. Manuel claimed that he had miraculously found the lotto slip during a clear out, but cops believe he tricked the buyer into handing it over. He had told reporters over a decade ago that he "had to sit down" and "almost broke his chair" after seeing the seven-figure sum pop up on the screen. But investigators have accused him of telling the unsuspecting Spainard that the £4million ticket was worth little over a euro. The shopkeeper then allegedly enlisted the help of his brother, who worked for the national lottery , to assist him in cashing in the ticket for himself, the Guardian reports. It is claimed that Manuel tried to scoop the jackpot on five separate occasions, but each attempt was refused by lottery authorities. Officials had also raised suspicions about the shopkeeper's bizarre versions of events and subsequently launched an investigation. After publicising the official search for the winner, a whopping 317 people from across Spain came forward to claim the ticket as theirs. But all of the claims were proved to be false. A judge then ordered police to take over the peculiar probe, as well as investigating Manuel for possible fraud. He has since been charged with the crime , while his brother was also slapped){kind=link}
A SPANISH shopkeeper allegedly launched a fake hunt to find the owner of a winning lottery ticket in a bid to claim the cash himself.
Police claim Manuel Reija Gonzalez staged an elaborate plot with his lotto official brother to try and bag the £4.05million prize money.
The ticket seller in the city of A Coruna was hailed as a local hero in June 2012 after launching a public appeal to find the customer who bought it from him.
He told local news that he was on a mission to reunite the ticket with the rightful owner rather than keeping the windfall for himself.
Manuel claimed that he had miraculously found the lotto slip during a clear out, but cops believe he tricked the buyer into handing it over.