TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Panama City man has been arrested after authorities say he tried to cash in an altered scratch-off ticket for a $5,000 prize.
Isaiah Robbins, 24, was arrested by the Tallahassee Department of Lottery Division of Security on Thursday.
On May 24 around 3:30 p.m., Robbins arrived at the Florida Lottery Headquarters in Leon County to redeem a payment for what appeared to be a $5,000 winning "$10,000,000 World Class Cash" scratch-off ticket.
The police report states the game appeared to have matching "1"'s, indicating a prize to be valued at $5,000. Lottery Special Agents said at the time Robins submitted the ticket, there was clear damage near the top "1."
According to the police report, the ticket was validated by Lottery employees, however, the Florida Lottery terminal at the Tallahassee District Office indicated the ticket was not a winner.
Robbins advised lottery agents that his girlfriend tried to validate the ticket at a Publix in Panama City, but was told by the staff that the ticket scanned as a non-winning ticket.
Due to the damage of the ticket, it was submitted for forensic examination at the Florida Lottery Division of Security Lab.
After the lab examination, it was found that the ticket was willfully altered to make it appear as a $5,000 winning ticket.
While talking with Lottery Special Agents, Robbins initially said that the ticket was damaged in his car by some of the equipment inside the vehicle. He then told them that he caused damage by incidentally scratching the ticket with a pocket knife.
Based on the evidence, Robbins is being charged with altering a lottery ticket with the intent to defraud, passing a counterfeit state lottery ticket, and filing a false claim for payment.
Robbins was transported to the Leon County Detention Center and his bond has been set at $1,000. As of Friday, he remains in jail.
