Lawsuit Filed By Lottery Players Claiming Games Were Rigged
DENVER (CBS4)- A civil lawsuit has been filed in Iowa asking that lottery players be reimbursed for participating for games that turned out to be rigged.
This is tied to an Iowa criminal case. Eddie Tipton was the security director for the Multi State Lottery Association based in Iowa.
He was caught on camera in a hood buying a lottery ticket in 2010 there for a $16 million game which he won.
Tipton is now appealing his conviction as an Iowa man Dale Culler filed a lawsuit against the lottery to get his $45 in ticket money back.
Nick Mauro, Culler's attorney, "If you paid money to play that game you deserve your money back."
In 2005, Colorado's lottery had a $500,000 winning ticket. It turns out it was Tipton's brother Tommy who won and has been criminally charged.
The civil lawsuit filed asks for a class action designation on behalf of all who bought tickets for the lotteries in question.
CBS4 legal analyst Karen Steinhauser says it could be tough for the buyers to prove.
"They bought a ticket and that particular ticket would have been the winning ticket but for the rigging that went on," said Steinhauser.
Tipton is due to go on trial soon in Iowa for additional charges including Colorado. So, too, is the brother Eddie. Some Iowa lottery players indicated their confidence has been shaken.
"Every time you have something rigged like that, bang it's over," one Iowa player remarked.
Tipton is due to go on trial soon in Iowa for additional charges including Colorado. So, too, is the brother Eddie. Some Iowa lottery players indicated their confidence has been shaken.
"Every time you have something rigged like that, bang it's over," one Iowa player remarked.
The Multi State Lottery Association has changed its security procedures.
The Colorado Lottery released a statement regarding the lawsuit and investigation: The Colorado Lottery continues to be committed to ensuring the security and integrity of lottery products. We strive to ensure that Lottery games are fair and offer everyone an equal chance to win. The Colorado Department of Revenue and the Colorado Lottery are aware of this issue and have been working closely and collaboratively with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Bureau of Investigation, and the Pueblo District Attorney's Office to investigate any allegations of wrong doing. As this is an active and ongoing investigation and we are fully cooperating with authorities and our Lottery counterparts in other states, we are unable to provide any additional information at this time.
CBS4's Rick Sallinger is a Peabody award winning reporter who has been with the station more than two decades doing hard news and investigative reporting. Follow him on Twitter @ricksallinger.
