Currently anonymous winner wants to avoid publicity, fears being targeted for his undocumented status
By Kate Northrop
An undocumented Algerian will have to provide identification he does not possess after winning a lottery prize in Belgium, where it is required for winners to prove their identity to claim winnings.
More money, more problems, at least for one nameless Algerian who won €250,000 (US$270,000) from a scratch-off ticket in the Belgium National Lottery.
A Belgian lawyer says that his client walked into a retailer in Zeebrugge, Belgium to buy a lottery ticket a few weeks ago and walked out a quarter of a million richer. That's where problems began for the 28-year-old undocumented migrant from Algeria.
"He paid five euros and won the ticket," Alexander Verstraete, the client's lawyer told NPR. "He won 250,000 euros."
The nameless man was in disbelief, so he asked his friend to help verify the win. They both returned to the shop to check one more time, just to confirm that their suspicions that the ticket was worth a small fortune were correct.
He just had to provide a way to prove his identity to the Belgium National Lottery to claim his prize. However, having arrived in Belgium two months ago without any papers, a home, and lacking official documentation, that would be a bit tricky.
The 28-year-old looked for ways to claim the winnings without divulging his identity, citing fears of being targeted by people for his undocumented status or by those who might pursue him for the money.
He sent a friend to Lottery headquarters in Rue Belliard to try and claim the prize on his behalf since he had forms of proper identification, but to no avail. If anything, it backfired — Lottery officials grew suspicious and called the authorities.
"The police in Zeebrugge knew who was the real winner because there were camera pictures from the store," Verstraete said in an interview with NPR.
However, camera footage is not enough to confirm an individual's win or their identity. Instead, the winner is being told by the case prosecutor to obtain an official ID card, which would mean reaching out to his family in Algeria and contacting the embassy in Belgium.
The Algerian will have to open a bank account under his name, and that also means providing a legal home address.
This also doesn't change the fact that the ticket expires in a year, which gives him 11 months to either comply with the demands or walk away without the prize. Verstraete believes he and his client will navigate the process successfully.
In the meantime, the winning lottery ticket remains in police custody until the migrant can sort out his documentation, and they said they won't deport him until he gets his money.
Before winning the lottery, Verstraete said his client had dreams of buying a home and a car and settling down. His stroke of luck at that shop in Zeebrugge makes it seem even more possible.
"Maybe you have one chance in a million to win 250,000 euros," Verstraete surmised. "So he has very much luck indeed."
Identity plays an important role in empowering individuals to exercise their rights and claim their Lottery Winnings.
I kind of disagree.
If he can buy a ticket, then he has to prove why he can hold money. If his ticket was bought with a fake euro, than his transaction is null and void.
This has the potential to be a <snip> fest scandal of immense proportion.
If he wasn't asked of Identity when he purchased the lottery ticket, all he should need iz his FACE that matches the FACE in the store video to claim the prize..
Undocumented=Illegal. If he didn't follow the rules to get into the country, what makes you think he would want to follow the rules of that country? That being said, if the lottery doesn't state clearly 'if you are undocumented/illegal' you can not play the lottery, I feel he should be able to claim the prizebut he has to prove his identity as required. IMHO.
"If he didn't follow the rules to get into the country, what makes you think he would want to follow the rules of that country?"
Rulez?...Soundz like the spreading of more ""PUTINOLOGY"..
What do you mean by Putinology?
Besides the guy mentioned above suddenly wants to stay and marry. We don't want that to happen!
Also, did he win with a Subito? I saw a brownie outside of the lotto-shop scratching a card. News spread fast!
* Jeet- what do you mean by " if he can buy a ticket,then he has to prove why he can hold money?"
* Isn't that like store clerks asking players " if we sell you the ticket, then you have to prove you can hold money AND not blow through it all?
"Besides the guy mentioned above suddenly wants to stay and marry. We don't want that to happen!"
Why not?... Maybe YOU don't want THAT to happen..
The whole Earth & Beyond belongs to GOD..
The Man isn't hurting anybody by being from another land.. GIT REEAAL..!!
"In the meantime, the winning lottery ticket remains in police custody until the migrant can sort out his documentation, and they said they won't deport him until he gets his money."
That part is odd to me. Why would the police need to keep his lottery ticket? His prize claim problem is separate from his immigration problem. Seems it would be safer with his lawyer.
"If he wasn't asked of Identity when he purchased the lottery ticket, all he should need iz his FACE that matches the FACE in the store video to claim the prize."
I stupidity was energy you could supply the whole world.
Belgium will never be the same if all of what you stated above is true. Must be how most all Belgians feel
The friend who tried to go in and pick-up the check for him must have been acting incredibly nervous and suspicious. In this country that ticket would be a "bearer instrument" until signed. Which means whomever is in possession of the ticket is considered the rightful owner unless someone else has signed the ticket. This guy should go get his ID, open a bank account and go get his money and stop worrying about being deported. He's only been there a month, take your money with you to another country and start a new life.