In 2010, a $16.5 million Hot Lotto ticket was sold at a gas station in Des Moines, Iowa. At first, no one showed up to claim the prize. And then, a series of lawyers tried to claim the money on behalf of a client they would not name. Things got stranger, and eventually investigators uncovered what has been called the biggest lottery fraud in U.S. history. We speak with Iowa’s state Auditor, Rob Sand, and with Ed Stefan, who spent years working at the Multi State Lottery Association. Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow. We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery. Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop. Episode transcripts are posted on our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Planes, trains, and automobiles, that's how we get around.
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Well, some very exciting news happened here in Iowa last night.
A $16.5 million winning hot Lotto ticket was sold here in the Des Moines area.
On December 23, 2010, a $16.5 million hot Lotto ticket was sold at a quick trip gas station on the northeast side of Des Moines, Iowa.
The buyer of the ticket had matched all five numbers plus the hot lotto number.