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California man wins $10M in the lottery but then his roommate allegedly stole the ticket

Ra'eesah Manack
By Ra'eesah Manack
Jan 13, 2019
06:25 A.M.

California man claimed to win $10 Million in the lottery. However, it was later discovered he stole his roommates winning ticket.

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Police report that a California man who claimed to have won the lotto had allegedly stolen his roommate's winning scratch-off lottery ticket. When he went to cash the ticket, lottery officials became suspicious because he did not know how much the scratcher was worth.

The man had been under the impression that the ticket was worth only $10,000. He was completely blown away when he realized it was actually worth $10 million according to police.

Adul Saosongyang, 35, was arrested on Monday. Police and lottery officials are currently investigating the case.

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Saosongyang is facing charges of grand theft according to the Vacaville Police Department's statement on Facebook. The police released the information on Tuesday.

Apparently, his roommate purchased the scratch-off for $30 in December. The roommate thought he had won $10,000 and rushed home to share the news with his friend.

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However, when the roommate headed to the lottery office in Sacramento the next day to cash the ticket he was told it was not the winning ticket. Officials told the man his ticket was altered.

Police revealed that the man then suspected the roommate. He immediately reported the theft and left the office.

Marco Verch/Flikr

Marco Verch/Flikr

"The next day his suspicions were proven true," wrote the Vacaville police on Facebook.

Saosongyang apparently went to the same lottery office to cash in his version of the ticket. Only, the ticket he thought was worth $10,000 was actually worth $10 million.

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Police said lottery officials began investigating as it is standard procedure for cases with over $600 in winnings. Vacaville police lieutenant Chris Polen revealed that was when lottery officials got in contact with the grocery store where the ticket was purchased and were told it could be stolen.

Saosongyang and his roommate allegedly purchased their tickets at the same Lucky Grocery. The surveillance video helped police and lottery officials in the investigation. He was arrested and is now in jail awaiting trial.

"They determined the roommate had purchased a similar Scratcher Lottery Ticket, altered it, and swapped it with the winning ticket. Authorities invited Saosongyang to the lottery offices to collect the winnings on Monday, police said. "Instead of him celebrating his big win he was arrested by Vacaville PD Detectives who had obtained an arrest warrant for him for Grand Theft," the department said on Facebook. The California Lottery added, "Once the Lottery verifies the identity of the winner of the ticket it will pay that claimant the $10 million prize."

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