British man’s stolen card wins 185 million baht lottery

In a twist of fate, a British man’s stolen credit card was used to buy a lottery ticket in England that won a £4 million (185 million baht) prize, leading to a bizarre situation where the rightful owner wondered if he was entitled to any winnings, only to be met with disappointment.

Joshua Addyman’s credit card details were swiped in 2019 by two criminals who used it to buy lottery tickets, ultimately winning a staggering £4 million, approximately 185 million baht. The alleged thieves, Jon-Ross Watson and Mark Goodram from Bolton, had a history of crime.

Watson reportedly committed 133 offences and was convicted of 72, while Goodram allegedly committed 45 offences and was found guilty of 22. Initially, they claimed to have borrowed the card from an anonymous friend, but under police interrogation, they confessed to the fraudulent scheme.

However, the true card owner was oblivious to the ordeal until summoned to court, recalling that during that time, two transactions worth £95 each (4,400 baht) had been made without his knowledge. Upon discovering the theft, he promptly cancelled the card and was reimbursed £180 by the bank, unaware of any follow-up action by the authorities.

Believing he deserved a share of the winnings since the ticket was bought with his card, he had envisaged buying a London house and treating his family to a vacation. Nonetheless, the lottery operator’s spokesperson stated that since the ticket was purchased fraudulently, there was no entitlement to any prize money.

The story unfolded as Watson and Goodram indulged in a lavish five-day party funded by the winnings, but their criminal conspiracy unravelled when they failed to open a bank account and were eventually caught by the police.

The bizarre case left many wondering about the legal and ethical implications of such an unforeseen windfall and the rightful claims to it. The lottery company stood firm on their policy, denying any payout due to the illicit nature of the ticket purchase, reported Sanook.

This peculiar narrative serves as a cautionary tale about the security of personal financial information and the unpredictable twists that can arise when crime and luck intertwine. The irony of a thief’s lottery luck turning sour due to their criminal past adds a layer of complexity to an already convoluted tale of crime and supposed fortune.