Published on: November 5, 2024, 06:34h.
Last updated on: November 5, 2024, 06:34h.
An Arkansas judge resolved a dispute between an employee and his employer regarding a winning $500K lottery scratch-off ticket. The winnings will be split equally between them, as reported by The Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
Jose Quinteros filed a lawsuit against his employee, Jorge Rivera Palma, a year ago, alleging that Palma had not shared the winnings from a lottery ticket they purchased together. Quinteros claimed they had agreed to split any prizes from the purchase of four tickets on February 2, 2023.
Palma argued that Quinteros gave him money to buy two tickets, while he purchased two more for himself, one of which turned out to be the winning ticket. Therefore, Palma believed the winnings were rightfully his and denied any agreement to split them.
In November 2023, Benton County Circuit Judge Doug Schrantz instructed Palma to deposit the disputed winnings in the court’s registry for safekeeping.
Conflicting Accounts
The only point of agreement between the two parties was that Palma bought the winning “AR 200X” ticket from a Quick Mart store in Rogers, Arkansas on that day. However, their narratives diverged significantly from there.
Quinteros stated that they bought the four tickets together using previous winnings, scratched them off on the same day, and Palma asked him to bring the winning ticket to his home to show his nephew, Marco Corado Erazo, who was also involved in the lawsuit.
Quinteros went to Palma’s house and handed over the ticket. He waited in his car for its return, but Palma never gave it back, according to the lawsuit.
When Quinteros called Palma from his car to inquire about the ticket, Palma said they would cash it in the morning in Little Rock. However, when Quinteros returned the following morning, Palma was nowhere to be found.
Meanwhile, Palma had Erazo cash the ticket, as per the lawsuit. Palma assured Quinteros that he would share the winnings when they were received, but this never occurred, as per the lawsuit.
Confirmation of Joint Venture
The judge in Benton County court determined that a joint venture had been established between the two parties and that Quinteros should be entitled to half of the winnings.
Therefore, Quinteros was awarded $177,750, as the total prize amounted to $355,500 after taxes.
Quinteros’ attorney, Aaron Cash, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating to the Democrat Gazette that his client believed they were in a joint venture and were content with the judge’s decision.