A Los Angeles man embroiled in a legal dispute over the identity of the original owner of the $2 billion Powerball lottery ticket reportedly showed the ticket to its former owner before losing it.
Urachi “Reggie” Romero claims his former tenant Jose Rivera showed him the winning ticket before the draw and had reason to choose the numbers.
Earlier this week, Rivera filed a lawsuit claiming the winning ticket was his and not the man who claimed the prize, Edwin Castro.
Talk to the New York PostRomero said: “I saw Jose Rivera with that ticket, he showed it to me.
“I asked him why he chose two 10s. He said it was the date his parents died. He chose 47 because that’s his age.
Urachi Romero, pictured, has now said his former tenant Jose Rivera showed him the winning ticket
Edwin Castro has been the subject of a lawsuit alleging his winning $2 billion Powerball lottery ticket was stolen
Castro has been served in his new $25million California home, despite lottery officials saying he is the rightful winner
“He also said his dad always wanted a 1956 Chevy truck, so he picked 56. He had a reason why he picked each number and he told me that before (the drawing).”
“Jose Rivera showed me that ticket before he knew it was the winning ticket. But I don’t know how he lost that ticket.
The winning Powerball ticket was sold at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, Calif., for the November draw that captivated the nation.
On Thursday, Castro was served with a lawsuit claiming his winning ticket was stolen.
Castro was at his new $25 million mansion in California when he was served with the paperwork.
Castro claimed the winning ticket and California lottery officials said he was the rightful owner of the $2 billion prize.
Rivera claims a man named “Reggie” stole the ticket and refused to return it, saying it was a dud.
Reggie also reportedly said that if he turned out to be a winner, he would forfeit half of the winnings.
One of his first purchases included this $25 million home in the Hollywood Hills
Rivera said he refused to be blackmailed and reported the alleged theft to police and lottery officials.
Both Castro and Reggie have been named co-defendants in the lawsuit, according to a report from the American Sun.
The winning ticket – 10, 33, 41, 47, 56 and Powerball 10 – was sold to the Altadena store, which also saw a $1 million payout for the historic win.
In an earlier statement, the California Lottery said, “When it comes to the process of verifying major winners, the California Lottery has the utmost confidence in its process for doing so.”
“The California Lottery remains confident that Edwin Castro is the rightful winner of the $2.04 billion prize resulting from the November 2022 Powerball draw.”
Castro has been living big since winning, buying two separate California mansions for a total of $29 million. He was also seen driving away from a bank in a vintage Porsche.
Castro’s new $4 million in Altadena, Calif., comes with its own home theater and expensive artwork
Since collecting his winnings, Castro has purchased two separate California mansions for a total of $29 million.
One of his new homes is a $4 million mansion in the Los Angeles area. The house comes with its own home theater, private office, and expensive artwork, which is sure to be improved given Castro’s large new bank balance.
The Altadena house is only a short drive from where Castro grew up.
If Castro tires of the $4 million estate, he’s only about 20 miles from his second California resort, which he bought for $25 million eight days prior.
The sprawling 13,578 square foot hillside estate, which includes a full outdoor kitchen, gym, wine cellar, and infinity pool.
