Clerk allegedly steals Antioch father’s $1 million lottery ticket

RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — An Antioch father was surprised to learn that he won $1 million through the lottery after a clerk allegedly stole his ticket.

The father, who did not want to be named publicly, bought two winning tickets at a Rutherford County Shell gas station. The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said that during the transaction, the father gave the tickets to 23-year-old Meet Patel. Patel then paid the man a lesser amount and allegedly placed the $1 million ticket in the trash.

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Store video obtained by Rutherford County investigators showed Patel taking the ticket out of the trash and putting it in his pocket. Patel then tried to claim the prize from the Tennessee Lottery, but employees were suspicious.

Investigators Vic Donoho and Greg Heiman with the Tennessee Lottery worked with Sheriff Mike Fitzhugh and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office to get the ticket back to its original owner. Detective Lieutenant Steve Craig, alongside Detective Dennis Ward, identified the father and contacted him with the news.

The man was reportedly skeptical about his winnings, but Ward eventually convinced him to claim his prize at the Lottery.

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“He was very thankful,” Craig said.

The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office said that Patel is being held on a $100,000 bond at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. His next hearing has been set for July 30.

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