Walmart Cashier Arrested Over $2,700 Lottery Receipt Theft in Florida

Q: When an employee steals a winning ticket, can the rightful winner still actually claim their prize?

Yes. In Florida, the rightful winner can still be paid if an employee steals the winning ticket or a required claim document, but it usually triggers an investigation and can delay payment. Florida Lottery rules generally require the original winning ticket for prizes such as the $2,700 at issue here, and for prizes of $600 or more the claim must be made through a Lottery office, not at the store. But the rules also make clear that a stolen ticket is not valid for the thief to cash, and that if the Lottery is notified of an ownership dispute before payment, it can investigate and determine the rightful claimant. That matters in this Walmart case because the customer reported the missing receipt, store surveillance allegedly showed the cashier hiding it, and deputies recovered it from her vehicle. If the customer still had the winning ticket and the receipt was recovered, the path to claiming the prize is much stronger. Even if a key document is missing, the Lottery can review other evidence, including surveillance, transaction records, retailer actions, and police findings. The practical advice from lottery officials and experts is to act quickly: report the theft immediately to law enforcement and the Florida Lottery, keep the original ticket if possible, sign the back of the ticket, photograph it, and save all receipts and claim paperwork. If the Lottery confirms the player is the true owner, the prize can still be awarded to that person rather than the employee.

3 articles · Updated · WKRC TV Cincinnati · Jun 22

40-year-old Tameka Hall was arrested in DeLand, Florida, after deputies said she hid the receipt an elderly customer needed to claim $2,700 in lottery winnings.
Surveillance video reviewed by store management allegedly showed Hall folding the receipt, putting it in her uniform vest pocket and leaving with it after her shift.
Deputies later recovered the winning receipt from Hall's vehicle; she told authorities she had been distracted by another customer and meant to give it to a manager.
Hall was charged with felony grand theft and is no longer employed by Walmart.
Lottery experts said the case underscores a basic safeguard for winners: sign the ticket, photograph it and keep every receipt tied to the claim.