How a Programmer Rigged the Lottery System of USA

By Muhammad Saleem

Today’s crime story is about a fascinating case involving a programmer who rigged the lottery system of USA and managed to win millions of dollars through the lottery.

But the real question is: how did he do it?

The Inside Job

This is the story of Eddie, a brilliant computer programmer from Iowa. Eddie worked for the Multi-State Lottery Association as a security director. His job was to design software that would randomly select winning lottery numbers. But the same position that required Eddie to ensure fairness became an opportunity for him to exploit the system using his intelligence and authority.

A Seed of an Idea

Eddie had been working in this role for two years when one day, during a break, a colleague jokingly said to him, “Eddie, you’re making other people rich, but have you ever thought about winning for yourself?” Eddie was initially startled and replied, “How’s that even possible?” His colleague chuckled and said, “You’re the one writing the software that picks the winning numbers. Just put in your own numbers and get rich. Nobody will ever know.” Though it was meant as a joke, the idea struck a chord with Eddie. He began thinking, “I’m the one creating the software. The numbers come directly from me. Why shouldn’t I pick the winning numbers myself and get rich?”

The Birth of a Plan

Once the thought took root, Eddie wasted no time. He secretly wrote a special code in the Multi-State Lottery Association’s software that could predict the winning numbers. He devised a plan which was almost impossible to detect.

The First Move

One quiet night, when Eddie was working late at the office, surrounded by silence, he decided to take a bold step. He pulled out yellow sticky notes from his desk and began writing down potential winning numbers for an upcoming lottery in Colorado. These weren’t random numbers but ones backed by the secret code Eddie had embedded into the software.

The Colorado Jackpot

This wasn’t an ordinary lottery; the Colorado jackpot was worth nearly $5.5 million. For Eddie, this wasn’t just about money—it was a test of his intelligence and technical skills. But there was a significant hurdle: Eddie couldn’t personally buy a ticket in Colorado. As an employee of the Multi-State Lottery Association, he was prohibited by company policy from participating in the lottery.

Circumventing the Rules

Eddie knew that if his name appeared on the winner’s list, it would immediately raise suspicion and likely lead to his downfall. Despite this risk, Eddie devised a daring plan that could either make him fabulously wealthy or completely ruin him.

Recruiting an Unlikely Ally

To execute his plan, Eddie needed someone else to buy the lottery ticket on his behalf. That’s when he had a brilliant idea: he decided to involve his brother, Tommy. Tommy wasn’t just anyone—he was a deputy sheriff, and, interestingly, he was about to visit Colorado. But Tommy wasn’t heading there for sightseeing; he was going on a bizarre quest to search for Bigfoot, a mythical creature.

The Colorado Adventure

Eddie seized the opportunity and reached out to Tommy. “Hey, listen,” Eddie said, “while you’re hunting for Bigfoot in Colorado, can you play these lottery numbers for me? Trust me, one of these will definitely win!” Tommy, intrigued and perhaps excited by the adventure, immediately agreed.

The First Win

When Tommy arrived in Colorado, he didn’t find Bigfoot, but he did purchase several lottery tickets. When the winning numbers were announced, one of Tommy’s tickets matched! However, the jackpot wasn’t the full $4.8 million, as there were other winners. The prize money was divided among them, leaving Tommy with about $517,000. He split the winnings with Eddie.

A Decade of Deception

This was just the beginning for Eddie. Thrilled by the ease of his first success, he thought, “That was too easy!” Over the next ten years, Eddie continued to use his manipulated software to predict winning numbers. He would send people like Tommy or other acquaintances to different states to buy tickets and claim prizes. The plan worked flawlessly, allowing Eddie and his associates to win significant amounts across multiple states.

A Fatal Mistake

But Eddie’s greed eventually led to a critical mistake. One day, he went to a store himself and purchased a ticket with pre-determined winning numbers. Surveillance footage captured him wearing a black hoodie, acting suspiciously, and asking, “Hi, where are your hot dogs?”

The $16.5 Million Jackpot

This time, the jackpot was a massive $16.5 million. Eddie used his software to pick the numbers, bought the ticket, and, as expected, won the jackpot. But now, there was a major problem: Eddie couldn’t claim the prize without risking exposure.

The Anonymous Claimant

When no one came forward to claim the prize after the announcement, the lottery commission made a public appeal, saying they were waiting for the winner. In the meantime, Eddie contacted his friend Robert, who had been involved in his earlier schemes. He asked Robert for help in claiming the $16.5 million jackpot.

Raising Suspicions

Robert, in turn, contacted a person in Canada who might assist them. This person called the lottery commission, claiming to have the winning ticket but saying they were too ill to claim the prize in person. The commission grew suspicious. Why would someone wait ten months to come forward and then claim they couldn’t collect the prize due to illness? They began asking probing questions, like what the person was wearing when they bought the ticket. The answers didn’t match their records. The commission told the claimant, “You’re not the person who bought the ticket.”

Seeking Legal Help

The prize money was so substantial that Eddie and Robert couldn’t stay quiet for long. Robert decided to seek legal help. He consulted lawyers and explained his situation, hoping to secure the prize money despite the complications. The lawyers approached the lottery commission, claiming their client wanted to remain anonymous and asking for the prize money on his behalf.

The Unraveling of the Scheme

This situation baffled the lottery commission. They announced that while they had the winning ticket’s numbers, they didn’t know who had purchased it. Adding to the mystery was the fact that the lottery commission typically revealed the names and identities of winners. This was the first time someone insisted on staying anonymous after winning such a large prize.

The Investigation Begins

The commission eventually withdrew the prize money and handed the case over to the police. Investigators faced numerous challenges tracking down the ticket buyer. They reviewed store footage and even released it to the media, hoping for public assistance.

The Voice of the Culprit

After four years of investigation, police received a tip that unraveled the entire scheme. The tip revealed that Eddie was the one who had purchased the winning ticket.

It seemed the whistleblower was someone close to Eddie, possibly a coworker. While they didn’t recognize Eddie by his appearance, they identified him by his voice. Earlier, Eddie had visited the store and asked about hot dogs, and the store’s surveillance cameras recorded not just video but audio as well. That audio became the key evidence against Eddie. Voice analysis confirmed the match, solidifying the case against him.

The Consequences

Eddie’s attempt to stay hidden had failed. His own voice became his undoing. Police arrested Eddie and soon after detained his brother Tommy and friend Robert as well.

The Aftermath

Investigations revealed that over ten years, Eddie and his associates had attempted to steal $24 million through rigged lottery wins. This became one of the largest lottery scams in U.S. history. Eddie was sentenced to 25 years in prison but served only five years before being released on parole. Tommy received a 75-day sentence, and Robert was given six months of house arrest.

A Lesson Learned

This story is remarkable, not just as a tale of greed but as a reminder that even a small joke can spark a massive scandal. Eddie’s story proves that deception doesn’t stay hidden forever, and in the end, every criminal faces the consequences of their actions.