Former Texas Lottery chief goes on trial over $95M jackpot fallout

It’s been over three years since a group of gamblers spent millions of dollars buying nearly every possible combination for a Lotto Texas drawing. Today, the controversy is officially moving into the courtroom. Gary Grief faces a first-degree felony charge after years of questions surrounding a huge 2023 ticket purchase. The former executive director of the Texas Lottery Commission is accused of abuse of official capacity in connection with the controversial $95 million jackpot drawing.

Controversy surrounds $95 million Lotto Texas jackpot

This all dates back to the April 22, 2023, Lotto Texas drawing. At the time, the jackpot had climbed to $95 million.

For this drawing, there were 25.83 million possible number combinations. This created an unusual opportunity for someone who had enough money and the ability to buy millions of tickets.

A group operating under the name Rook TX reportedly spent about $26 million buying nearly every possible number combination. Over several days, more than 25 million tickets were processed at just four Texas Lottery retailers.

As it turns out, one of those tickets ended up matching all six of the winning numbers drawn that night to win the jackpot. They opted for a lump sum payment of approximately $57.8 million before taxes.

While buying nearly every possible combination wasn’t necessarily illegal, there were questions that emerged about how this group managed to buy and print such a large number of tickets.

Reports state that lottery officials supplied additional terminals and ticket paper to the lottery retailers involved in the operation. Investigators also found that some of the retailers used unauthorized QR codes while processing the purchases.

Felony charges come from investigation

This particular drawing sparked years of scrutiny over the Texas Lottery Commission’s operations, which included its relationship with private lottery businesses and courier services.

The TLC stated they conducted an investigation into the drawing and found no violations of state law or lottery rules.

However, the controversy didn’t end there. Gov. Greg Abbott then directed Texas Rangers to investigate the 2023 drawing and another disputed Texas Lottery jackpot.

In April 2026, a Travis County grand jury indicted Grief on a first-degree felony charge of abuse of official capacity. However, prosecutors dismissed the case days later, but then another grand jury indicted him again in May 2026 on the same charge. The Texas Lottery Commission was also indicted.

Grief worked for the agency for over 30 years before he retired in 2024. He denies any wrongdoing.

Texas Lottery Commission dismantled

The trial comes after the controversy helped bring major changes to the Texas Lottery.

In 2025, lawmakers voted to abolish the Texas Lottery Commission. 

The criminal proceedings come after the controversy helped fuel major changes to the Texas Lottery.

Lawmakers voted in 2025 to abolish the Texas Lottery Commission. Oversight of the lottery was moved to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The TLC officially ceased to exist on September 1, 2025.

New restrictions were also put in place that banned lottery courier services and made selling more than 100 lottery tickets to one person in a single transaction a Class B misdemeanor.

Despite all the controversy, the Texas Lottery itself continues operating. They have been authorized to remain under the new regulator through at least 2029.

Now that the case is headed to trial, it’s putting the controversial $95 million drawing back into the spotlight. In a statement, Grief’s attorney, Sam Bassett, said the prosecution is politically motivated and maintained that his client committed no crime.

Enjoy playing the Texas Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.