Lawrence Campbell: Massive lotto win turns sour after man sues girlfriend he says took winnings, ghosted him
As Aussies dream of taking out the $100m on offer in Thursday night's Powerball draw, a sad postscript on a huge win is playing out in Canada's courts.
A Winnipeg man is suing his ex-girlfriend who he alleges took his winnings and then 'ghosted' him in order to be with her new lover.
Lawrence Campbell, claims he bought the winning ticket in a 6/49 draw in January 2024, scooping the CAD$5m ($5.6m) prize, but his now ex-partner Krystal Ann McKay took the lot.
On May 2024, he filed a complaint in Manitoba's Court of King's Bench against Ms McKay and Western Canada Lottery Corporation and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries.
In the claim reported by
CTV News
, he states that he scanned the ticket with his phone and realised he had won big. He then went with Ms McKay to a convenience store to verify the win.
Problems arose, Mr Campbell alleges, when Western Canada Lottery Corporation told the pair Mr Campbell could not claim the winnings because he didn't have a valid government issued-ID.
The pair were instead advised to let Ms McKay claim the win and she subsequently deposited it into her bank account as Mr Lawrence did not have an active account.
During a press conference celebrating the win at the time, Ms McKay said Mr Campbell had given her the ticket as a birthday gift.
'It was really overwhelming, exciting,' Ms McKay said.
Mr Campbell said, 'She had been asking me for three weeks to get a ticket, but I never went and got one. Then we drove by one, and I was like 'OK, I might as well go get you one right now'.'
Days later Ms McKay failed to return to the hotel room she had been sharing with Mr Campbell.
In the legal suit, Mr Campbell states he went to find Ms McKay and found her 'in bed' with another man.
He claims Ms McKay then told him she wanted to end their relationship to be with this 'new guy' and then 'ghosted him', refusing to answer his calls and messages, and took out a protection order against him.
Mr Campbell's lawsuit also claims the Western Canada Lottery Corporation gave him bad advice.
Ms McKay is under a court order not to purchase or gift any property, money or motor vehicles, or make any investments.
Ms McKay's attorney, Conor Williamson, told CTV News that his client plans to dispute the allegations against her and will be filing a statement of defence.
The case is due to head back to court on June 13.
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