Tennessee Clerk Charged for Stealing Lottery Ticket

Meet Patel, a 23-year-old store clerk in Tennessee, is accused of stealing a $1 million lottery ticket from a customer who bought two tickets at a Shell gas station. After checking the tickets, Patel allegedly gave the customer the smaller winning amount and discarded the $1 million ticket in the trash. Surveillance footage revealed Patel retrieving the winning ticket from the trash, celebrating after scratching off the ticket, and attempting to claim the prize. Lottery officials noticed suspicious behavior when Patel tried to cash the ticket, prompting an investigation which ultimately led to identifying the rightful owner, an Antioch father who was unaware of his win. Patel is now facing charges for theft exceeding $250,000 and is being held on a $100,000 bond, with a court appearance scheduled for July 30. The rightful owner's prize has been returned to him, marking a life-changing moment he initially thought was just a misunderstanding.