SACRAMENTO - The California Lottery announced that they have identified the individual in the video surveillance tape released yesterday. The Lottery received more than 50 calls and 1,500 visits to the website from the public trying to help identify the person.
“We want to thank the media for their assistance and support in finding this person,” said Bill Hertoghe, Director of Security and Law Enforcement Division for the California Lottery. “As a result, we have identified the person in the video. Further investigation is required because there are two competing claims and we now need to verify the truthful owner of the ticket.”
Under established protocol, the California Lottery’s Security and Law Enforcement Division investigates all sizeable winners and includes reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing the claimant. This case involves a ticket worth more than a half million dollars. The preliminary investigation results were not accepted by the California Lottery’s Security and Law Enforcement Division prompting further review to resolve inconsistencies compared to evidence provided in security measures embedded in every Lottery product. Because of these discrepancies, an inquiry was launched and the person in the video needed to be identified.
More information will follow as it becomes available.