GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas, Oct. 28 (UPI) -- A Texas man whose $1 million lottery ticket allegedly was stolen says he wants the state to pay up even though the suspected thief already cashed it.
Willis Willis, 67, Grand Prairie, says $1 million would go a long way for a self-described working man who lives "paycheck to paycheck."
Authorities Wednesday were looking for Panaj Joshi, a store clerk indicted last month on charges he pocketed the winning ticket Willis had asked him to check. Joshi has not been seen since $750,000 in after-tax winnings were wired to his bank account.
Willis hired a lawyer who told the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman the lottery should pay off his client even though Joshi collected the jackpot the day after he checked the ticket at the store.
"It is undisputed that Mr. Willis won fair and square a million dollars playing Texas Lottery," said lawyer Sean Breen. "The only issue right now is when is the lottery going to pay the money that they owe him."
A lottery official told the newspaper the issue was under discussion.
