The Curse of the Lottery?... Girlfriend Who Claimed 4.9 Billion Won Says "I Have a New Man" and Cuts Contact

Canadian Man Sues Ex-Girlfriend and Lottery Corporation
Girlfriend Claimed Prize Due to His Lack of ID

A Canadian man who asked his girlfriend to claim a large lottery prize on his behalf ended up losing both his money and his love, and has now filed a lawsuit.

On June 2 (local time), the UK’s Daily Mail, citing Canadian broadcaster CTV, reported the story of Lawrence Campbell, a resident of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Last month, Campbell filed a lawsuit worth 5 million Canadian dollars (approximately 4.9 billion KRW) against his ex-girlfriend Crystal Ann McKay and the Western Canada Lottery Corporation.

On January 19 last year, Campbell purchased a 'Lotto 6/49' ticket at a convenience store. At the time, he and McKay were in a "committed romantic relationship." Because Campbell had lost his wallet, he handed the ticket to McKay and asked her to keep it safe for him. A few days later, Campbell scanned the lottery barcode with his mobile phone and discovered that he had won the first prize. The prize money he was set to receive was 5 million Canadian dollars. Campbell and McKay contacted friends and family to share the news and even filmed a video at a nearby supermarket to confirm the win together.

However, an unexpected problem arose when the two contacted the lottery corporation. An official from the lottery corporation told Campbell, who had lost his wallet, "You are not eligible to claim the prize because you do not have valid government-issued identification," and recommended that "instead, your partner McKay can receive the prize." Subsequently, McKay received the prize money in the form of a 5 million dollar check and transferred it to her own account. At the prize reception press conference, McKay said, "I am really surprised and overwhelmed," and added, "This lottery ticket was a birthday gift from Campbell."

However, several days after receiving the prize, McKay did not return to the hotel where she had been staying with Campbell. Campbell claimed, "I went to several places where McKay was reportedly hosting parties, and during that process, I found her in bed with another man." McKay told Campbell that she "had a new man," then blocked his calls, messages, and social media accounts. She also filed for a restraining order against him in court.

Campbell argued that the lottery corporation did not adequately explain the risks associated with delegating the lottery prize claim. He stated that, as a result, he lost the prize money and therefore sued both McKay and the lottery corporation. Campbell’s attorney, Chad Fenton, said, "This case is a problem with the lottery corporation's system itself." McKay’s attorney, Connor Williamson, stated, "My client completely denies the allegations," and added, "We will present our defense in a future response."