Thieves who used a stolen credit card to buy a winning lottery ticket are being urged to come forward so they can share the prize with the victim.
Jean-David E., identified through police documents, had his backpack stolen earlier this month, which contained the credit card used to purchase the ticket.
The thief used the card to buy a scratch-off ticket in the French city of Toulouse, which turned out to be worth a life-changing €500,000 ($523,000).
After discovering the theft, Jean-David quickly contacted his bank to block the card—but by then, the winning ticket had already been bought.
According to local reports, two homeless men are believed to have purchased the ticket but have yet to claim the prize.
The two men reportedly spent €52.50 ($55) using the stolen credit card, which included the purchase of the winning scratch card.
Pierre Debuisson, the victim’s lawyer, explained,“They were so overjoyed that they forgot their cigarettes and belongings, leaving like crazy people.”
Although Jean-David has filed a police complaint, he is willing to withdraw it if the thieves agree to share the winnings. “It’s an incredible story, but it’s all true,” Debuisson said. Addressing the thieves directly, he added, “You risk nothing. We will share with you. This could change your lives. But time is running out.”
The winning ticket has since been frozen by lottery operator La Française des Jeux as the investigation continues, according to Metro.
While Jean-David hopes to strike a deal and split the life-changing prize, he acknowledges that authorities could ultimately void the ticket, as it was obtained illegally.
Speaking to local newspaper La Dépêche, Jean-David stated, “It’s out of the question for the lottery provider to cancel the ticket just because it was bought with a stolen card.”
“Those in possession of it have nothing to fear. Our proposal is simple: without my client’s money, they wouldn’t have won; without them, my client wouldn’t have won. It’s only fair to share the winnings,” he added.
With the ticket purchased on February 3, time is running out to claim the prize, as La Française des Jeux allows only 30 days from the purchase date before the winning ticket expires.
