No progress in alleged Lotto scam investigation

Two National Lotteries Authority (NLA) employees have been fired, reportedly in connection with the $600,000 alleged 3-D scam that is currently under investigation.{{more}}

After first being suspended, the two employees were later fired, as the NLA tries to get to the bottom of the alleged scam that they believe went on for months in 2007, and which was first reported by SEARCHLIGHT on the front page of our December 21 2007 edition.

SEARCHLIGHT is reliably informed that in many quarters, there is a feeling that the investigation is moving at a snail’s pace and some are wondering, including NLA employees, why charges have not been laid in connection with the alleged scam.

The alleged scam, which involves the Big-D game, is believed to have been organized so that certain draws were made earlier than they were supposed to, leaving a window of a few minutes for strategic phone calls to be made to relay the Big-D numbers called to persons waiting to place bets at various lottery booths around the country.

The Big D draw pays out $450 for each in-line $1 bet.

One such suspected winning, information reaching SEARCHLIGHT shows, is where one man won $45,000 in one draw.

He placed several Big-D bets at 12:44pm, one minute before the scheduled 12:45pm cut off time for the midday draw, at an outlet in the North Windward district.

This was in August 2007.

In November the same year, another person won $40,000, playing at the same outlet, at around the same time.

Another of several instances being investigated is where one person won over $13,000 by placing several bets on the same Big-D number. In claiming their winnings, the person gave their address as Arnos Vale for two claims, and Block 2000 on the other. The person is however believed to be a resident of Gomea, and has connections to a person of interest in the investigation.

SEARCHLIGHT is further reliably informed that while $600,000 plus has been paid out to persons who the NLA believes are fraudulent winners, another $60,000 in winnings has not been paid, suspected of being part of the same alleged scam.

One person has reportedly written to the NLA, threatening legal action in an effort to claim the money which is being held back, SEARCHLIGHT understands.

When we contacted the NLA, General Manager Gregory Sealey said that he was not at liberty to discuss the details of the investigation.

He said however, that the matter remains in the hands of the police and that the NLA remains resolute in their determination to get to the bottom of the issue and see the guilty brought to justice. He also confirmed that since the investigation has been launched, the problem has disappeared, and the payout for the games has normalized.

We asked Reuben John of KPMG, auditors of the daily draw, what, if any action has been taken against members of his staff who may have been implicated in the alleged scam. “We cannot discuss client related business with the media,” was his reply.

As for SVG Broadcasting, parent company of SVG TV where the draw takes place, Assistant Manager Richard MacLeish said “We have had no documentation presented to us to warrant any action being taken (against any employee).” At press time, there was no clear indication from the police as to what stage the investigation is at.