Latino man wins $3 million in the lottery, but friend sues him for stealing the ticket and he lost everything
A man who won $3 million in the lottery faced a legal battle when his friend claimed ownership of the ticket, leading to a court case where the winner ultimately lost everything.
A Hispanic man won three million dollars in the lottery but ended up with nothing after a legal dispute with a friend. Raymundo Gómez, a 72-year-old man from California, purchased a scratch-off ticket at a 7-Eleven and won the grand prize.
What seemed like a dream come true quickly turned into a nightmare when his friend, Florencio Cabrera, accused him of stealing the winning ticket. The case went to court, and despite Gómez's claims that the ticket was rightfully his, a judge ultimately ruled in favor of Cabrera, forcing Gómez to give up all the money he had already received.
Hispanic man lost $3 million in the lottery after friend's lawsuit
Raymundo Gómez had no formal job and made a living by collecting cans and plastics. Despite his age, he continued his daily routine even after being announced as the lottery winner. According to an interview with Univision, Gómez had always participated in lottery games and kept thousands of scratch-off tickets.
One day, he went to a 7-Eleven and bought two tickets for the "Set For Life" lottery. When he scratched one, he revealed the word "LIFE," signaling that he had won the grand prize. Gómez decided to receive the money in monthly installments, which allowed him to collect half a million dollars before receiving a legal notification that would change his fate.
His friend, Florencio Cabrera, filed a lawsuit claiming that the winning ticket belonged to him. He argued that Raymundo had taken the ticket without his consent and cashed it in as his own. The legal battle ended up costing Gómez everything he had earned.
Friend's allegations claiming the lottery ticket
Cabrera stated that on February 1, 2018, he accompanied Gómez to purchase the lottery tickets. They both bought tickets at the same store and later returned home to check them. Cabrera claimed that he was the one who discovered the word "LIFE" but, not understanding English, asked his friend for help to verify the result.
Cabrera further explained that he traveled to Mexico shortly after, trusting that Gómez would keep the ticket for him. However, when he returned, he discovered that Gómez had already claimed the prize. The lawsuit was based on Cabrera's claim that Raymundo had taken the ticket and filed the claim without his permission.
Raymundo denied the allegations, asserting that he bought the tickets alone and that Cabrera was not present when he scratched the winning ticket. "I tell him that I bought the tickets by myself. I scratched one and won, the other didn't. He wasn't there; he was in his country the day I won the lottery. How can he say I stole it from him? It’s my ticket, I swear to God," he said in the interview.
Gómez argued that Cabrera wasn't there when he scratched off the winning ticket and insisted that the ticket was his. However, he couldn't provide sufficient evidence to support his story in court.
The case was decided in San Diego court. Since Raymundo did not respond to the lawsuit, the court ruled in favor of Cabrera and awarded him the grand prize. Although Gómez attempted to appeal the decision with the help of his son, the judge rejected his claim and ordered the immediate return of the money he had already received. Unable to continue the legal process, Raymundo lost the prize he believed he had won legitimately.