The person who bought the winning ticket in Langley, B.C., doesn’t want their name released. The ticket holder is willing to take lottery officials to court to collect the March 2014 JACKPOT privately. The LINK reported in early December, 2014 that Dalbir Sidhu, an Indo-Canadian worker at Shoppers Drug Mart, is being accused by his co-worker Gayleen Elliott of hiding an unclaimed $50-million winning Lotto Max Quick Pick ticket, which she claims he bought with workplace pool money in March. The winning Lotto Max numbers on March 14, 2014, were: 3, 4, 7, 12, 17, 26, 34, and bonus number 1.
By R. Paul Dhillon
With News Files
SURREY – This week it was reported that a mysterious individual trying to take home B.C.’s long-unclaimed Lotto Max fortune of $50 million is fighting for the right to collect the money anonymously.
Is this person the same Indo-Canadian man who was sued by his co-worker in a lottery pool?
The $50 million PRIZE was drawn in March 2014, but the ticket holder famously didn’t come forward until days before the one-year claim deadline – potentially missing out on $900,000 in interest.
Seven weeks later, the potential winner’s name is still private and the riches remain in the custody of the B.C. Lottery Corporation.
Now the person claiming to be the rightful winner wants to stay out of the spotlight, despite contractual obligations required of all LOTTERY WINNERS in the province to reveal their identity to the public, reported CTV news.
The LINK reported in early December, 2014 that an Indo-Canadian worker at Shoppers Drug Mart is being accused by his co-worker Gayleen Elliott of hiding an unclaimed $50-million winning Lotto Max Quick Pick ticket, which she claims he bought with workplace pool money in March.
In a notice of civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court, Gayleen Elliott of Burnaby was reported as suing Dalbir Sidhu for breach of contract, fraud and $52 million, plus interest.
“At all material times, the defendant has been in fraudulent possession of, and has knowingly converted, the March 14, 2014 tickets, one of which is the winning Quick Pick lottery ticket, for his own benefit and without the pool’s permission,” Elliott’s claim reads.
Elliott told CBC at the time that she, Sidhu and fellow Shoppers Drug Mart employees entered into an informal weekly lottery pool in 2012.
It was reported that Sidhu regularly collected $5 from each co-worker, bought the tickets — some based on numbers chosen by the pool and others chosen randomly through so-called quick picks — and distributed any winnings, says Elliot.
After learning of the $50 million-draw, Elliott claimed she asked Sidhu about the March 14 tickets, which he allegedly said he bought at a gas station in Surrey.
But when Elliott asked to see the validated tickets, she says Sidhu couldn’t provide them.
She claims she and other pool members approached B.C. Lottery Corp. (BCLC) and were told their chosen numbers were never sold.
Sidhu allegedly then sent an email, claiming he actually forgot to buy the March 14 tickets because of family engagements around the date of the draw.
BCLC says the winning ticket was bought in Langley, and remains unclaimed. The winning numbers were 3, 4, 7, 12, 17, 26, 34, and the bonus number was 1.
In her lawsuit, Elliott claims Sidhu has been in possession of the winning ticket all this time and has “converted” the ticket for his own benefit.
Elliott’s lawyer declined comment at the time.
None of the charges had been proven in court, and Sidhu had not at the time filed a statement of defence.
It is not known whether this lawsuit applies to the winning $50 million ticket claimed recently, just before the deadline but it was the only unclaimed $50 million prize that was remaining unclaimed, according to information provided by the BC Lottery Corporation.
Under the BCLC’s rules and regulations, all WINNERS must give the corporation the right to publish their name, address, place of residence and a recent photograph.
If they refuse, the BCLC claims it has “no obligation to pay or deliver a PRIZE.”
BCLC spokeswoman Laura Piva-Babcock told the media the rules are designed to maintain public confidence in the lottery system.
“That’s really about the integrity and the transparency around winners. People buy tickets, they want to know that people do win those PRIZES,” Piva-Babcock said.
Winners are also usually asked to accept an oversized cheque in a small ceremony, but CTV News has learned the person claiming B.C.’s latest $50 million PRIZE is prepared to take the BCLC to court to maintain anonymity.
Civil lawyer Andi Mackay, who specializes in contract law, said it’s unlikely a judge would rule against the BCLC if the issue ever does go to court.
