Incident in Toulouse, France
Homeless Man Wins Lottery with Stolen Card
Receives Offer: "I'll Cancel the Theft Report"
A homeless man in France gained attention after stealing a credit card and purchasing a scratch-off lottery ticket, winning approximately 750 million KRW. On the 22nd (local time), the British BBC reported, "Jean David (40), residing in Toulouse, France, learned of his lottery win and appealed for the thieves to surrender, suggesting 'let's split the winnings 50-50.'"
On the 3rd, Jean David parked his car in a downtown Toulouse parking lot, where his bag inside the vehicle was stolen. The bag contained his wallet, so he immediately contacted the bank to block his card, but it was confirmed that 52.5 euros (about 80,000 KRW) had already been spent at a nearby tobacco shop. Later, upon visiting the store himself, he found out that two homeless men had purchased cigarettes and lottery tickets using his card.
At that moment, he received unexpected news. According to the store clerk, the scratch-off lottery ticket purchased by the men had won 500,000 euros (about 752 million KRW). The clerk reportedly mentioned, "There were suspicious circumstances during the card payment process, such as the inability to enter the PIN."
Jean David's lawyer, Pierre Debuisson, told the BBC, “One of the lottery tickets purchased by the two men won 500,000 euros, and they said they were going to the French National Lottery Operator (FDJ) to claim the prize.” After speaking with the store staff, Jean David immediately reported the incident to the police, who notified the FDJ. Currently, the FDJ is withholding payment of the winning ticket.
Jean David sent a message to the thieves through the media. He proposed canceling the theft report if they shared the lottery winnings with him. He stated, “The men cannot claim the prize unless they contact my lawyer directly,” and added, “So how about agreeing to split the winnings 50-50?” He plans to use half of the winnings to repay his mortgage. Lawyer Debuisson also persuaded, “My client is not considering prosecution,” and “This could be an opportunity for the two men to start a new life.”
According to French lottery regulations, scratch-off lottery winnings must be claimed within 30 days of purchase. Accordingly, the police are likely to seize the winnings soon, and the men could be arrested if they approach the FDJ. However, the thieves have not yet visited the FDJ to claim the prize, and the Toulouse police authorities have not issued an official statement regarding this case.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
