News writer
On January 6, 2025, Ramilabahen S. Patel, 44, was seen pulling and scratching tickets within the store counter of the Janci Food Mart located at 127 S. Blackstock Road in Spartanburg.
Surveillance video showed Patel taking some of these tickets, of course, without authorization from the state's lottery.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division provided the charges following an investigation request from the South Carolina Lottery. Patel was entered into the Spartanburg County Detention Center on February 20.
Lottery fraud caught on camera
According to a press release sent out by the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, Patel is being charged with “attempting to influence a game by coercion, by tampering with lottery tickets.”
Just after the new year began, the Janci Food Mart employee committed the violation by allegedly tampering with several lottery tickets. She was seen through the store's video footage pulling and scratching multiple tickets from a case on the front counter.
The surveillance highlights Patel also removing some of these scratched tickets, along with changing out some others. The taking of some of these tickets was done strictly without authorization from the state or the retail store.
The case will now be prosecuted by the state's 7th Circuit Solicitor's Office.
Additional lottery deception in South Carolina
Another South Carolina resident was booked on similar charges within the state. Gracie Jeanette Moseley, 20, was taken in on charges of “intent to defraud the South Carolina Education Lottery.”
Like Patel, Moseley worked at a lottery retailer located in the state. Based on the arrest warrant provided by the enforcement division, she allegedly stole 315 South Carolina Lottery scratch-off tickets from a local Scotchman store. This particular one is #3166, found in Mt. Pleasant in Charleston County.
Moseley was, in fact, working at the location at the time of the theft and then proceeded to cash in the stolen tickets for cash prizes. Overall, she received $318 from these lottery tickets.
Apparently, the video security systems at these retailers work quite well, as this was another case that unfolded on surveillance cameras.
Moseley was submitted into the Charleston County Detention Center on February 26. Her case will be prosecuted by the 9th Circuit Solicitor's Office.
Number sequences pay off in South Carolina
Beyond these fraud charges, there have been some positive headlines circulating in the state.
Lottery USA recently took a deeper dive into trends happening within the industry of late. Number sequences appear to be hitting it big in several states around the country, including South Carolina.
Just last week, an evening Pick 4 drawing showcased a winning combination of 1-2-2-2 with a 5 Fireball.
The popular numbers produced almost 1,300 winners overall, with more than $1.7 million being awarded.
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