LAKELAND, Fla. — A Lakeland, Florida, man is suing a friend who he says cheated him out of money from a $1 million lottery ticket.
Court records show John Rhoades filed a lawsuit against Tyler Scott, and Scott's girlfriend Brittany Causey. Wells Fargo Bank is also listed as a defendant.
Rhoades said he used his own money to purchase a winning Florida Lottery scratch-off ticket from a Wawa gas station located on Highway 98 in Lakeland.
He says he showed Scott the winning ticket, and his friend told him it was only worth $100,000. Rhoades later learned it was worth $1 million.
According to the lawsuit, Rhoades has limited education and comprehension, and he did not have a driver's license. He asked Scott to drive to the Florida Lottery office in Tallahassee to cash in the winning ticket and agreed to give Scott $10,000 for the task. Rhoades was living with Scott at the time. He says he trusted his roommate and didn't think twice about letting him cash in the ticket.
The lawsuit claims Scott didn't hand over any money, and deposited the tax amount into a bank account instead. He allegedly gave Rhoades $35,000 two weeks later, then refused to fork over the remaining $29,000. At this time, Rhoades tells us he was still under the impression that the ticket was worth $100,000.
Kevin Cox, the plaintiff's attorney, called Scott to have him wire over the remaining $29,000 to Rhoades and the defendant obliged, according to the lawsuit.
Scott is currently on probation and his attorney, Paul Reed, claims his client was threatened by Rhoades' lawyers and decided to wire the remaining $29,000 to avoid a lawsuit and more jail time.
Reed also claims the winning ticket never belonged to Rhoades because it was bought for Scott with Scott's money.
Rhoades became suspicious when he noticed Scott had purchased an expensive truck and had been doing "outrageous spending" and decided to have someone call the Florida Lottery office. That's when he learned the real reward amount.
The lawsuit claims that Scott denied Rhoades access to his right of the money by cashing a ticket ten times the amount Rhoades thought it was worth.
A circuit court judge has ordered that Wells Fargo accounts where Scott deposited be frozen until the case is resolved.
Taylor Nash, the Deputy Communications Director of the Florida Lottery said the organization is aware of the lawsuit, but would not comment on the lawsuit or explain why there will be no response from the Florida Lottery regarding this matter.
The case is expected to be argued during a jury trial.
Will be interesting to see who the jury favors. Scott will shoot himself in the foot if he says he simply "gifted" some of his "winnings" to the gent.
He (Scott) could spin a trump tale and say he was being coerced to shell out some money to the rightful owner of the ticket.
This is Florida after all.
A waste of tax payers money. He figure he take it the court file it and play the easy way out and then won't be easy I think the judge is going to throw this case out.
That's what you get then. His word against the other persons word. Their wasting more on this case than money won.
Another lottery story from Lakeland, Florida. The former girlfriend of Abraham Lee Shakespeare is featured in yesterday's post. She and Shakespeare called Lakeland home.
If John Rhoades is a senior citizen as well as being mentally challenged he has more ways to prosecute his case.
This Circuit Court Judge has plenty of power.
I hope that John Roades is successful.
Judge Redd rules for the plaintiff! I looked up the defendant's criminal history and it is pretty bad.
http://www.dc.state.fl.us/InmateReleases/detail.asp?Bookmark=2&From=list&SessionID=196206883
Currently on probation for:
11/12/2013 POSS PLACE TRAFF/MAN SUBST
01/07/2014 S/M/D METH S/M/D = Sales, Manufacturing, Distribution
Previously did prison time for:
Lines 2 & 3 are the cases he is still on probation for.
Tyler is going to have to testify. And he has recent convictions for crimes of moral turpitude which will be admissible to the jury. Who would you find for?
This one is going to be fun to watch. Drama, intrigue - It's all there. Consider this: Rhoades, limited education, kick in lack of comprehension-taken for a ride by a savvy con man. Later,by his own admission, Rhoades says the lights came on.Wait a minute, is that a new truck his driving? hmm, splashing cash around, and Brittany the girlfriend- what's her story? Was she originally with Rhoades & dumped him for Scott? Pull up a chair, it's going to get real exciting. I can hardly wait!
'Avaritia facit bardus'
~ Greed makes you stupid
Avaritia robs unus sensus communis.
Let the lawyers deal with the headaches. lol. My question would be this. Did these people deliberately decide to take this matter to court to prove something?
The Victim/Plaintiff, John Rhoades, sued Tyler Scott & his gf/Defendants to get back the money they stole from him. I hope he wins. He has a good case. If it is he said/she said, the man who isnt a meth dealer with a skanky looking gf is the most credible.
Oh, noesssss! I should have checked the victim's record, too. Rhoades also has a criminal record tho not as bad and older than Scott's:
97 Felony driving with a suspended or revoked license.
97 Contraband (not specified) in county jail
2001 Possession of meth.
Not sure whether under FL these are crimes of moral turpitude because he isnt dealing or possessing such a large quantity dealing is inferred. I still would find for him if I was on the jury.
So, the person who bought the ticket is incapable of reading his own ticket and seeing what it is worth???
Come on people, use some common sense...
Fortes realtorjim
Te Es Non Carbonrundom Illegitmum.'
Don't let the baztards grind you down
'Veritas lux mea est'
The truth is my light
Eddessa_Knight with Light
Yea the girlfriend will most likely be the one to 'crack' the case on this one. If she spills the beans on what each of them said & did!