Clerk Caught Up In Alleged Lottery Scam Speaks Out
MIAMI BEACH - (CBS4) --A lucky South Florida lottery player fell victim to a market clerk's scam and now may be cursing his luck.
Cristian Zurita considered himself a lucky man when his four Florida Lottery numbers matched the ones on Play 4 game he purchased. His numbers 4-7-8-2 came up on the midday drawing on November 12.
"In these hard times, you can imagine how excited he was," said Deborah Doty of the Miami Beach Police Department.
The next day, Zurita and his friend went to the Beach Food Market at 6618 Collins Avenue in Miami Beach to redeem his prize. The store's owner, Farah Naji, allegedly told Zurita that the ticket paid $600.
Zurita later learned that the ticket was actually worth $5,000. When he returned to the market, Naji allegedly told Zurita it was too late, that he claimed the money for himself and sent his daughter on a vacation.
"They stole money from him, which is definitely not appreciated here and will not be accepted," said Doty.
Zurita took a photo of the ticket and captured the serial number.
"They kept his ticket! If he wouldn't have taken that photo, it would have been very hard to prove. It was his word against [Naji's]," said Doty.
Police arrested Naji on Tuesday and charged him with grand theft third-degree.
But in an hour-long interview with CBS4's Gio Benitez, Naji called himself the victim.
"I got ripped off. My only crime is that I did a favor for a neighbor. That's why they're calling me a criminal," said Naji.
Naji says the store could not cash the ticket because the prize was more than $600. The tourist, Zurita, would have to go a lottery office.
But hours later on video, Zurita and his friend apparently come back to the store with the ticket.
Naji, the store owner, knows the friend. He says Zurita's friend begged him to cash the ticket for at least $600 because they needed the money fast.
Naji says he pulled $380 from his own pocket and gave it to them. He told them to come back the next day for more money. They did.
Naji then says he went to the lottery office, and when he cashed the ticket, found out it was worth $5,000. He says that money is still sitting in the store waiting to be picked up.
Zurita, the tourist, is back at home in Los Angeles and told CBS4′s Gio Benitez over the phone that he wants people to learn from this story.
Miami Beach police are asking anyone who might have been a victim in the lottery scam to come forward by calling 305-673-7945.
