 Jun-Chul Chung, Kathleen Chung and Kenneth Chung. (Stan Behal, QMI Agency)
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TORONTO — The search for the rightful winners of a $12.5-million lottery jackpot was launched Wednesday after three members of a family were charged with stealing the winning ticket.
With the aid of new software developed specifically for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the OPP alleged a Thornhill man, his son and his daughter scammed a ticket from the rightful owner in 2003.
The prize was paid out in 2004 and later used to buy a mansion in Vaughan, five posh vehicles and other investments.
OPP proceeds of crime investigators froze bank accounts, "restrained" the assets of the Vaughan home, another in Oakville and three commercial properties, and claimed other property allegedly bought will ill-gotten gains.
OPP Insp. William Price said the winning Super 7 ticket — 6, 8, 14, 25, 36 41 and 42 — was purchased at That's Entertainment on Lake St. in St. Catharines and was validated at the Variety Plus store on Dundas St. at Walkers Line in Burlington on Dec. 26, 2003.
Police alleged a slight of hand occurred when a customer went into a store — where a man, who worked as a manager, and his father worked — to check a lottery ticket. The ticket was a winner, yielding a free ticket, according to investigators.
However, the customer was told that the ticket was not a winner and the store workers kept the free ticket, police alleged.
According to investigators, the free ticket won the jackpot.
The ticket was then allegedly handed over to the sister of the store manager, who then claimed it in December 2004 and "denied having any relation to any person in the sale or redemption of lottery products," Price said.
The payout was highlighted in the 2007 report by Ontario Ombudsman Andre Marin about the province's lotteries.
Price said it's believed the real winner lives in St, Catharines or Burlington.
"We believe the customer lives in one of those cities and works in the other," he said.
Kenneth Chung, 28, his sister Kathleen, 29, and their father, Jun-Chul, 60, were released on a combined total of $700,000 bail from Milton. Price said the three were arrested Tuesday at their respective homes.
They are suspected of stealing four free tickets, but only one went on to win a cash prize.
OPP Commissioner Chris Lewis said his force was asked in March 2007 by the OLG to investigate suspicious lottery wins following a scathing report from Marin.
He said the real owner of the jackpot-winning ticket regularly bought Super 7 tickets and had a "unique spending habit on multiple tickets.
OLG director Paul Godfrey said he realizes the corporation needs to rebuild confidence among gamblers.
"The only thing I can tell them ... the people we do charge will be people (who claimed winnings) in 2003 and the years around there rather than 2010 and beyond," he said.
"Can I assure you we've built the perfect mouse trap? I don't think anyone can assure you of that," Godfrey added. "But do I have a sense of comfort that the OLG is on the right path going forward? I absolutely do."
He said there's no guarantee the rightful owner or owners will be found.
