Ruby Reyes, a mother and undocumented immigrant from the San Francisco Bay Area, asserts that she surrendered a $2 million winning lottery ticket to her uncle due to fears of deportation.
Almost two years later, she claims that he still possesses the winnings.
In an interview with N+ Univision 14, Reyes mentioned purchasing a $10 Instant Prize Crossword scratch-off ticket from MD Liquor & Food in Santa Rosa towards the end of 2024. While her ticket won the highest prize, she feared that personally claiming it would expose her immigration status.
She assumed her uncle, who possesses documentation, would claim the prize on her behalf and then hand over the funds.
Reyes indicated to Univision that she has initiated legal proceedings and is confident she has enough evidence to validate her purchase of the ticket and her rightful ownership.
“Only the Truth”
Though Reyes has not publicly named her uncle, a California Lottery news release identifies a man named Jose Reyes Ayala as the individual who claimed a $2 million prize from a $10 Instant Prize Crossword ticket bought at MD Liquor & Food in December 2024.
Reyes emphasized that the sudden wealth could significantly enhance her children’s futures. She has implored her uncle to reconsider and return what she contends is rightfully hers. Univision attempted to contact him but received no response.
“It was a dream I had,” she stated. “I was solely focused on my future and that of my children. I speak only the truth, and I possess ample evidence to win this case.”
Are Undocumented Immigrants Permitted to Win Lottery Prizes?
Undocumented immigrants face no explicit prohibition against winning or claiming lottery prizes in California or the broader United States. The rules governing the California Lottery do not necessitate claimants to be U.S. citizens or residents of California.
Nevertheless, jackpot winners must furnish valid identification and tax documents before any prize payouts can occur. Winners lacking a taxpayer identification number may experience elevated federal tax withholdings.
There are multiple prior cases resembling Reyes’ situation. For instance, in 2011, Jose Antonio Cua-Toc, a Guatemalan immigrant, won $750,000 on a Georgia scratch-off ticket but had his employer, Erick Cervantes, claim it on his behalf.
Cervantes asserted that the ticket was his and that Cua-Toc had purchased it with his funds. After deliberating for merely 35 minutes, a Houston County jury determined that Cua-Toc was indeed the rightful owner based on store surveillance evidence supporting his claims.
Real Risks of Deportation
Despite the legal allowances, undocumented winners may genuinely fear the repercussions of claiming a jackpot in public, underscoring the complexities of their situations.
For instance, shortly after the California Lottery’s inception in 1985, Jose Caballero, a 24-year-old furniture deliveryman from San Jose, won $2 million. Lottery officials acknowledged his entitlement to the winnings, irrespective of his immigration status, but the publicity initiated an investigation by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Ultimately, Caballero opted for voluntary departure rather than contesting deportation and returned to Mexico but still retained his lottery winnings and continued to receive annual payments.