Date: October 2, 2024, 04:54h.
Last updated on: October 2, 2024, 04:54h.
A legal case against Edwin Castro, the winner of the world’s largest lottery prize, has been dismissed by a judge in Los Angeles Superior Court this week.
In February 2023, a lawsuit was filed by Jose Rivera, asserting that he was the legitimate winner of the historic $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot.
According to Rivera, his winning ticket was stolen by his former landlord, Urachi F. “Reggie” Romero, who allegedly demanded to split the jackpot. Rivera claimed that he had no knowledge of how the ticket ended up in Castro’s possession, someone he had never crossed paths with.
Landscape gardener Rivera claimed the winning ticket was stolen from him the night before the November 2023 draw by his then landlord, Urachi F. “Reggie” Romero, who blackmailed him to split the winnings, according to the lawsuit.
Finders Keepers
In August, Judge Donna Hollingsworth emphasized that “players are solely responsible for securing their tickets against theft, loss, damage, or destruction,” refraining from making a judgment on Rivera’s allegations.
“The person in possession of a … winning lottery ticket … is the presumptive owner/winner,” she added.
As the plaintiff did not respond to this ruling, the case was dismissed.
Judgment shall be entered in favor of Defendant Edwin Castro, and against Plaintiff Jose Rivera. Plaintiff shall receive nothing from Defendant Edwin Castro,” Hollingsworth wrote.
This ruling is now final, marking the end of the legal dispute.
Reggie and ‘The Midget’
Rivera’s claim gained traction in May when Romero suggested to The New York Post that his tenant might have had the winning ticket, although he denied involvement in its disappearance or any connection to Castro.
Later, Romero mentioned that the ticket could have been taken by his associate, referred to as “Midget,” who had purported ties to Castro’s family.
The Castro team consistently denied these allegations, and the California Lottery remained confident that Castro rightfully claimed the prize.
‘God Knows the Truth’
Castro’s attorney, David De Paoli, stated that he had reviewed video evidence of his client purchasing the winning ticket. However, this footage has not been publicly released by the California Lottery.
In November 2023, Rivera was formally charged by Pasadena Police for wasting police resources. Despite this, he remained steadfast in his beliefs when interviewed by Casino.org a month later.
Many people have gone to prison over fighting for the right thing and [are] still treated like gum on the bottom of their shoe,” Rivera said. “Our true God knows the truth [about] what is going on, and may everyone find salvation in him.”
Meanwhile, Castro has been indulging in luxury real estate and classic cars, while also romantically involved with Instagram model Payten Vincent. Reports indicate that the couple met at a Giorgio Armani event in Malibu.