Man bought lottery ticket, ex-girlfriend cashed it in and ghosted him. Now, he's suing for $5 million

Indian Express

3 days ago

A man in Canada has taken his ex-girlfriend to court, claiming she disappeared with a $5 million lottery prize that he says belonged to him, according to a report by CTV News.
Lawrence Campbell, a Winnipeg resident, filed a lawsuit earlier this month in Manitoba's Court of King's Bench. He is suing Krystal Ann McKay, the Western Canada Lottery Corporation, and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries for the full amount of the jackpot.
According to the court filing, the issue began on 19 January 2024 when Campbell bought a Lotto 6/49 ticket from a convenience store in Winnipeg. At the time, Campbell and McKay were in a relationship, and he gave her the ticket because he had lost his wallet.
Campbell later found the ticket at a friend's house and scanned it with his phone, realising it was a winning ticket. 'That's when they found out he won. He couldn't believe it,' the claim says.
Campbell and McKay then went to a Shoppers Drug Mart and recorded a video of themselves checking the ticket again. But when they contacted the Western Canada Lottery Corporation, the claim says Campbell was told he could not get the money without a valid government-issued ID. Instead, they were advised that McKay should claim the prize in her name.
On 30 January 2024, McKay accepted a cheque for $5 million at a press conference. 'It was really overwhelming, exciting,' she said, adding that the ticket was a birthday gift from Campbell.
Campbell also spoke at the press event. 'She had been asking me for three weeks to get a ticket, but I never went and got one. Then we drove by one, and I was like, 'OK, I might as well go get you one right now.''
The claim says McKay deposited the winnings into her bank account, as Campbell did not have one at the time. In the following days, Campbell says she stopped speaking to him.
According to the court documents, Campbell went looking for her and found her with another man. She then told him the relationship was over and cut off all contact, the claim says. Campbell alleges McKay blocked his phone number and social media, and even took out a protection order against him.
'This case is about systemic karma versus the system itself,' said Campbell's lawyer Chad Panting in an email to CTV News. He argued the lottery corporation should have warned Campbell of the risks of letting someone else claim the prize.
McKay disputes the allegations and is preparing to file a formal defence. The claims have not yet been tested in court.