Hoosier Lottery asks State Police to join scam probe

Nov 13, 2004, 10:52 pm (2 comments)

Indiana Lottery

Hoosier Lottery officials Friday asked the Indiana State Police to help investigate their agency after a scandal over a rigged $1 million scratch-off game.

Lottery Director Jack Ross said police will review and authenticate an internal investigation the agency is making following the controversy, which was uncovered earlier this week.

"I want to make sure the people of Indiana have confidence in the Hoosier Lottery," Ross said.

Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi already is investigating the scam and, on Monday, charged three men he said were involved.

Prosecutors say William C. Foreman, a lottery security officer, told two men in May that a winning ticket in the "$2,000,000 Bonus Spectacular" game had been sent to a store in Cross Plains.

One of those men went to the store and bought all of the game's $20 tickets -- about $700 worth. A ticket hit, and state lottery officials began paying out the cash.

Brizzi said his office was still reviewing thousands of documents and e-mails collected after a team of investigators served search warrants Monday at the lottery's Downtown Indianapolis offices.

Lottery officials should have asked for State Police involvement back in May, Brizzi said.

"Our grand jury investigators . . . will work with the State Police and any other agency that is brought in to help."

Foreman, 59, Indianapolis, was arrested Monday and charged with felony counts of disclosing confidential lottery information and theft.

The men who cashed in the ticket, Chad R. Adkins and Daniel J. Foltz , were formally charged Tuesday with theft.

Using State Police to help in an investigation into state government is not uncommon. In 2002, the State Police assisted in sorting out a scandal involving a convicted identity thief who had been hired to oversee state pension benefits.

During the 2004 budget year, lottery proceeds amounted to about $200 million. That money was reserved to pay retirement benefits to teachers, police officers and firefighters and to cover other state expenditures.

State Police officials said they were asked only to assist, not to lead an investigation, and referred all questions to the Hoosier Lottery.

Indianapolis Star

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DoctorEw220's avatarDoctorEw220

nice to see that Indiana is actually letting the public know of what happened now. they wouldn't give details of what happened when I e-mailed them.

BobP's avatarBobP

Just goes to show the whole business about the scratch ticket prizes 
being distributed randomly is total a B.S. LIE !!!  How on earth could any lottery official know a winning ticket was in a shippment to a particular store ???  HE KNEW !!! HOW COULD HE KNOW??? THE WHOLE ROTTEN SYSTEM IS BASED ON A FALSE PREMISE OF RANDOM DISTRIBUTION !!!

This is not the story it seems on the surface.  It is proof the whole innocent act is bogus, they decide who, when and where winning tickets go any time they want to.  This is the most disgusting lottery news I've ever seen.  They're playing in a rigged game ! ! !  BobP

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