China Man Wins $1.4 Million Lottery, Cheated by Fraudsters.
A Chinese court ruled in favor of a man cheated out of his $1.4 million lottery winnings, but he has yet to receive any of it.
Yao, a water delivery worker in his 40s, won the lottery in 2019 but was deceived by Wang, who claimed the prize on behalf of his cousin, Gao.
Wang sent Yao a photo of the winning ticket, offering $20,700 as “spiritual compensation” and convincing him to sign an agreement. Yao later discovered Gao had claimed the ticket and received $1.1 million after taxes.
Yao sued Wang and Gao in Xian, and the court ruled that Gao must return the winnings, holding Wang jointly responsible. Gao’s appeal was rejected in July 2024.
Despite the ruling, Yao has not received any money. “The court froze their bank accounts, but they’re empty. I haven’t received a cent,” he told SCMP.
Wang and Gao’s homes were put up for auction, but no buyers have emerged. Yao, who earns just $410 a month, has taken on debt to cover legal fees.
“Before this, I lived a normal life. Now, I worry about the future,” Yao said. His lawyer is pursuing further court investigations to locate the missing prize money.
In a similar case, an Indian man won $1 million in a Singapore lottery last month. The prize came from a lucky draw after he purchased $4,400 worth of gold for his wife. The Singapore High Commission in India congratulated him, calling it the realization of “crorepati dreams.”
