Annand Mayrhofer, her husband Friedrich Mayrhofer and their son Eric Mayrhofer, all from Langley, have been declared as the winners of the controversial $50 million Lotto Max jackpot arising from the March 14, 2014. The LINK reported in early December, 2014 that Dalbir Sidhu, an Indo-Canadian worker at Shoppers Drug Mart, was 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. Is the controversy and lengthy proceedings to declare the winner in this mysterious $50 million lottery over now that the Mayrhofers, who did buy the lottery from the same Shoppers Drug mart mentioned in the lawsuit, have been declared winner or will we hear more on this?
By R. Paul Dhillon
VANCOUVER – The BC Lottery Corporation (BCLC) finally declared an Indo-Canadian woman and her family as the winners of the $50 million Lotto Max jackpot arising from the March 14, 2014, a prize that had been shrouded in mystery after as long process of verifying the winners.
The new millionaires in the draw are Annand Mayrhofer, her husband Friedrich and their son Eric Mayrhofer, all from Langley.
The winning ticket was first presented to BCLC on March 9, 2015 by the purchaser’s lawyer. This was just five days before the expiration of the one-year prize claim period.
BCLC said once they validated the ticket as authentic, they initiated the prize claim verification process. Ownership of the ticket had been signed over to a trust before it was presented to BCLC and the beneficiaries of the trust were not disclosed to BCLC.
The fact that the ticket was claimed by a trust led to a lengthy prize claim review. The unique nature of the claim required BCLC to consult with the Inter-Provincial Lottery Corporation (ILC), the national organization that oversees Lotto Max across Canada.
In June 2015, BCLC, in conjunction with the ILC, concluded that only an individual or group of individuals can claim a prize, not a trust. Ultimately, in accordance with the ILC and BCLC Lottery Rules and Regulations, BCLC advised the purchasers that the trust was an ineligible prize claimant and therefore, they would need to submit the prize claim as individuals.
In November, the Mayrhofers submitted a prize claim as a group. BCLC was then able to conduct a thorough review of this prize claim, verify the winners, fulfill our commitment to transparency and pay the prize.
When a lottery ticket is purchased, the player enters into a contract that includes certain conditions set out in the BCLC and ILC Lottery Rules and Regulations, one of which requires the ticket holder to consent to their name and photo being published.
“Throughout this process we have been guided by the principle of maintaining integrity of the lottery system – which we uphold by ensuring prizes are paid to the right people and by publicizing winners,” said Jim Lightbody, BCLC President & CEO.
“We are a quiet family,” said Fred Mayrhofer. “Our plans are to renovate our home, buy some new furniture and maybe take a sunny vacation.”
This isn’t the first time Fred has won the lottery. A photo of him with a $1,000 win has been taped to his fridge for many years. He also recalls a win of about $3,000 a number of years ago.
“When I claimed the $3,000 I told the clerk at the prize claim counter that I would see her again – but I never imagined it would be for a win this size!”
Public interest in this prize has been unprecedented. BCLC received 739 inquiries about this prize. BCLC reviews every inquiry and claim made regarding a lottery prize and escalates for further investigation as warranted.
The winning ticket was purchased at a Shoppers Drug Mart, which was located at 601-22259 48 Avenue in Langley. This win ties for the largest prize ever won in B.C. The last time a $50 million Lotto Max prize was won in B.C. was October 2010.
The prize has been shrouded in mystery since the draw was held on March 14, 2014. At the time, lottery officials confirmed the winning ticket was sold in Langley, but nobody stepped forward.
Later that year, a Shoppers Drug Mart employee filed a lawsuit, accusing her co-worker of hiding the $50-million winning ticket she claimed he bought with workplace pool money.
Just days before the deadline to claim the prize, the lottery corporation said the winner had come forward, but still needed to be verified.
The LINK reported in early December, 2014 that Dalbir Sidhu, an Indo-Canadian worker at Shoppers Drug Mart, was 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.
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.
In her lawsuit, Elliott claimed Sidhu has been in possession of the winning ticket all this time and has “converted” the ticket for his own benefit.
It is not know if Elliott withdrew the case against Sidhu or what came of this alleged conspiracy to hide the winning ticket.
Is the controversy and lengthy proceedings to declare the winner in this mysterious $50 million lottery over now that the Mayrhofers, who did buy the lottery from the same Shoppers Drug mart mentioned in the lawsuit, have been declared winner or will we hear more on this?
