Florida Lottery admits error, winner collects two years later

Aug 26, 2019, 9:08 pm (22 comments)

Florida Lottery

Includes video report

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A Florida man finally has his lottery prize after a local media investigation exposed a state error.

"I can't believe I have the money," Joel Strickland of Winter Haven said.

When Strickland won $1,000 in the lottery in 2017, state officials seized the money, saying he owed the state $5,300 to settle an old unemployment fraud claim.

Strickland insisted there was an error and that he didn't owe anything, but the state's case was closed. Officials not only took his lottery money, but said he owed the balance of this debt.

He says he was told that since this was old debt, they wouldn't have tried to collect it. However, when his name came up as a lottery winner, his name was checked and was on the state's list of debtors.

Strickland tried to fight for his money for a year, and after failing to get his money, he contacted a local media investigative column named "Better Call Behnken". The state told Investigative Reporter Shannon Behnken they would reopen his case, but there were denials, promises and more denials before his check finally arrived.

"I got in from work Friday evening and opened the mailbox and thought, 'Thank you, Jesus,'" he said.

VIDEO: Watch the report

WFLA

Comments

TheMeatman2005's avatarTheMeatman2005

As long as he didn't owe the money, I guess you can say that....

Winners don't quit and quitters don't win! Banana

DELotteryPlyr's avatarDELotteryPlyr

Quote: Originally posted by TheMeatman2005 on Aug 27, 2019

As long as he didn't owe the money, I guess you can say that....

Winners don't quit and quitters don't win! Banana

To me it reads this way -

He owed the money, but they told him at some point before the win --

"He says he was told that since this was old debt, they wouldn't have tried to collect it."

so sounds like they wrote it off as a 'loss' but he did owe the money. 

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by DELotteryPlyr on Aug 27, 2019

To me it reads this way -

He owed the money, but they told him at some point before the win --

"He says he was told that since this was old debt, they wouldn't have tried to collect it."

so sounds like they wrote it off as a 'loss' but he did owe the money. 

..Added to that is the possibility of Shannon reminding the FL lottery of the " number" they did to Bobbi Seagull. An all out attack against seniors, the very people that are playing the lottery religiously & keeping it afloat. There are times you have to reverse your decisions for the greater good.

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Quote: Originally posted by DELotteryPlyr on Aug 27, 2019

To me it reads this way -

He owed the money, but they told him at some point before the win --

"He says he was told that since this was old debt, they wouldn't have tried to collect it."

so sounds like they wrote it off as a 'loss' but he did owe the money. 

Florida's Statute of Limitations for the Collection of Fines ($5000) for the Over Payment of Unemployment Benefits Due to Fraud is 5 years.

music*'s avatarmusic*

Freedom of the Press!  Congratulations to Joel Strickland.

Stack47

And why some players sell their winning tickets to "10 percentors".

Millionaireclub

Is it just me, or does it appear that Florida's lottery and their state department find ways not to give people their money. Have you noticed that many of the Florida winners are supposedly wanted for criminal stuff? I wonder if they are deliberately letting criminals win, in an effort not to give out any money, and in that way, the state take their winnings. I mean its mind blowing that people like me, that plays the lottery faithful, like other people and never win, but these so-called criminals and people that owe money, keep winning?? Someone should look further into this.

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Millionaireclub on Aug 28, 2019

Is it just me, or does it appear that Florida's lottery and their state department find ways not to give people their money. Have you noticed that many of the Florida winners are supposedly wanted for criminal stuff? I wonder if they are deliberately letting criminals win, in an effort not to give out any money, and in that way, the state take their winnings. I mean its mind blowing that people like me, that plays the lottery faithful, like other people and never win, but these so-called criminals and people that owe money, keep winning?? Someone should look further into this.

How would FL or any State lottery for that matter " deliberately allow criminals to win? " What's the process in getting that off the ground? l am intrigued by new ideas- do tell.

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

Quote: Originally posted by Millionaireclub on Aug 28, 2019

Is it just me, or does it appear that Florida's lottery and their state department find ways not to give people their money. Have you noticed that many of the Florida winners are supposedly wanted for criminal stuff? I wonder if they are deliberately letting criminals win, in an effort not to give out any money, and in that way, the state take their winnings. I mean its mind blowing that people like me, that plays the lottery faithful, like other people and never win, but these so-called criminals and people that owe money, keep winning?? Someone should look further into this.

So....

If I read that correctly, a person walks into a store, and buys a lottery ticket.

The state says "There's a criminal, we'll let him win, then deny the money".

Exactly how does the state determine that an unknown person out of dozens or even hundreds of people that walk into a store is a criminal and "allow" that person to win? How does the state run a draw that allows that one criminal to win?

Crazy

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Quote: Originally posted by rcbbuckeye on Aug 28, 2019

So....

If I read that correctly, a person walks into a store, and buys a lottery ticket.

The state says "There's a criminal, we'll let him win, then deny the money".

Exactly how does the state determine that an unknown person out of dozens or even hundreds of people that walk into a store is a criminal and "allow" that person to win? How does the state run a draw that allows that one criminal to win?

Crazy

Probability!

Millionaireclub

Cellphones, Technology, and Surveillance!!!

Trust me, they know more about us, our actions, our schedules, etc., by our cellphones. YES, I honestly believe they allow people to win, only to take them to jail and to keep the money.  There have been way too many "criminals", that have won the lottery in Florida. It is even surprising to me that most of them were even playing the lottery.  Anything is possible in this world. They are finding ways to "outsmart" us with our own smart phones. Plus, on another note, they say, "what goes around comes around", and there are really good people (like myself and you, that have worked hard and been good people all our lives), so you would think that we would win, right? Like Karma. However, just questionable that the good people are not winning, but "criminals", are winning, only to go to cash in their tickets, then get taken to jail, and/or told they owe money to the state.  I have my suspicion on if the lottery is random. Scratch off tickets may be random, but not the lottery.

cottoneyedjoe's avatarcottoneyedjoe

Quote: Originally posted by Millionaireclub on Aug 28, 2019

Cellphones, Technology, and Surveillance!!!

Trust me, they know more about us, our actions, our schedules, etc., by our cellphones. YES, I honestly believe they allow people to win, only to take them to jail and to keep the money.  There have been way too many "criminals", that have won the lottery in Florida. It is even surprising to me that most of them were even playing the lottery.  Anything is possible in this world. They are finding ways to "outsmart" us with our own smart phones. Plus, on another note, they say, "what goes around comes around", and there are really good people (like myself and you, that have worked hard and been good people all our lives), so you would think that we would win, right? Like Karma. However, just questionable that the good people are not winning, but "criminals", are winning, only to go to cash in their tickets, then get taken to jail, and/or told they owe money to the state.  I have my suspicion on if the lottery is random. Scratch off tickets may be random, but not the lottery.

Yes, anything is possible, but it would be easier to believe this if you described how exactly the FL Lottery could track what numbers certain people are playing. In a cash transaction where ID is not required, how would the FL Lottery know that Pedro McCriminal chose 2-4-6-8-17 for some upcoming drawing? Convenience store cameras do not have that good of resolution. You gotta back this up with specifics, not vague grumblings about surveillance. 

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Quote: Originally posted by cottoneyedjoe on Aug 28, 2019

Yes, anything is possible, but it would be easier to believe this if you described how exactly the FL Lottery could track what numbers certain people are playing. In a cash transaction where ID is not required, how would the FL Lottery know that Pedro McCriminal chose 2-4-6-8-17 for some upcoming drawing? Convenience store cameras do not have that good of resolution. You gotta back this up with specifics, not vague grumblings about surveillance. 

They use the 4K Camera & Microphone on your Cell Phone not the Convenience Store Surveillance Camera.

cottoneyedjoe's avatarcottoneyedjoe

Quote: Originally posted by Raven62 on Aug 28, 2019

They use the 4K Camera & Microphone on your Cell Phone not the Convenience Store Surveillance Camera.

Do people typically take photos of their lottery tickets after purchasing them? Not sure about this one.

Do people typically say their numbers aloud? Doubtful. In my observation people fill out their payslips in silence or mark the QP box and hand it to the cashier without talking too much. 

 

This conspiracy theory needs work, but keep trying!

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