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Alice Yan

A man in China whose 10 million yuan (US$1.4 million) lottery jackpot was falsely claimed by another person has won a lawsuit demanding the money back.
However, the man, surnamed Yao, has still not received his winnings after a five-year battle to secure his rights.
The case has attracted huge attention on mainland social media after it was reported by the Yangtze Evening News in mid-December.
The controversy involving Yao, who regularly buys lottery tickets, unfolded in Xian, northwestern China.
On July 17, 2019, Yao transferred 20 yuan (US$2.8) to a lottery shop owner, surnamed Wang, trusting him to buy two tickets for him.
Wang randomly chose two tickets for Yao before sending photos of the tickets to him via a social media platform to confirm Yao’s purchase.

On the evening of the same day, it was announced that one of Yao’s tickets had won a top prize, entitling him to collect 10 million yuan.
But when an excited Yao went to the lottery station to pick up the ticket, Wang told him it had actually been bought by someone else. He said he had sent the wrong lottery ticket picture to Yao, said Wang.
An agreement was reached that Wang give Yao 150,000 yuan (US$20,000) as “spiritual” compensation. Yao handed his mobile to Wang to delete all their online chat records after Yao signed the agreement document.
Two months later, Yao discovered that it was Wang’s cousin, surnamed Gao, who went to the lottery authorities to collect while holding the disputed ticket.
Gao received eight million yuan (US$1 million) from Shaanxi Provincial Lottery Management Centre in September 2019, after taxes were deducted from the lottery bonanza.
Yao sued Wang in Xian, and asked the court to confirm that he was the lottery prizewinner.
The court ruled that Gao should return the prize to Yao, while Wang should bear joint responsibility for this payment.
Gao appealed and in July this year, Xian Intermediate People’s Court made a final judgment to uphold the initial verdict, based on the fact there is no evidence to support Gao’s purchase of the lottery ticket.
Although he won the case, Yao said he was not pleased.
“Although the court froze their bank accounts, there is no money in these accounts. I’ve received not a single cent from them,” he was quoted as saying.
The homes of both Wang and Gao have been put up for auction but have so far not attracted any buyers.

Yao, who is in his 40s, is a water delivery worker and has a monthly income of 3,000 yuan (US$400).
“Before this incident, I lived a normal life. But because of this incident, I spent all my savings. I also borrowed hundreds of thousands of yuan to pay for lawyers. How could I not be worried about my life?” Yao said.
His lawyer, Yu Shengxiu, said they were planning to apply to the court for the authorities to investigate the whereabouts of the lottery prize.
Many people online have sympathised with Yao.
“A person’s greed would increase multiple times in the face of huge benefits,” said one netizen.
“Hope Brother Yao can get his money back,” said another.


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After five-year legal tussle with owner of shop where he bought lottery ticket, jackpot winner is still waiting for his winnings


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