Edwin Castro’s signature on California’s $2 billion Powerball winning ticket could save him from losing the jackpot fortune
The top prize won in U.S. lottery games is currently in dispute in Alhambra Court, pitting three Hispanics against each other.
Edwin Castro reportedly took a key action to secure the $2 billion Powerball winning ticket in California: signing the document.
A report in The U.S. Sun this week details that Castro, who is one of the defendants in Jose Rivera’s lawsuit over the alleged theft of the winning ticket for the largest reported sum in lottery history, affixed his signature to the ticket.
The signed ticket was presented along with the claim form.
This step is essential for lottery jackpot winners in the United States to claim the prizes.
In the view of Drew Svitko, president of the Powerball product group and executive director of the Pennsylvania Lottery, this is one of the three basic actions every winner must take.
“During this exciting time, we would like to remind our players to gamble responsibly. All it takes is one ticket to win this massive sum and any of the other Powerball prizes. If you win the jackpot, sign it, place it in a very safe place, and go to your local lottery office. The lottery office is always the best resource for information on how to claim a prize,” reads a recent Powerball press release on the occasion of the $1 billion drawing on July 19 that was also won by a person in California who has not yet been identified.
Subsequently, the California Lottery circulated a release explaining the process for claiming a jackpot and the strict requirements for confirming winners.
“Part of that process involves an interview of the person by the California Lottery official prior to being declared a winner. The interview involves questions about the point of sale of the winning ticket. There are aspects of the ticket that are not disclosed to help protect the integrity of the win. These standard security procedures can take weeks or months to complete; the California Lottery processes more than 10,000 claims a month at its Sacramento headquarters,” the office said.
The entity insists that the legitimate winner of the $2 billion sweepstakes is Castro. It has also argued in the Alhambra Court, where the case is being heard, that the right of a winning party to a prize comes only from the possession of the winning ticket, not from the mere fact of having purchased a ticket.
Rivera has not made any public statements regarding the allegations made in the lawsuit. Last week it was reported that his two lawyers resigned from his representation. It is unclear whether the man now has a new defense.
The Hispanic man claims that Castro claimed the prize corresponding to the ticket that Urachi F. Romero, who was his landlord, allegedly stole from him.
Romero, in statements to the New York Post last May, denied having appropriated the winning ticket and denied knowing Castro or anyone in his entourage. The lawsuit does not specify how the ticket passed from Romero’s hands to Castro’s; a point that, in the opinion of Castro’s lawyer, benefits them in the lawsuit.
“There is no legal basis or foundation in this lawsuit. At this point, we are working on the service process, but there are huge problems with the lawsuit,” David De Paoli told the aforementioned media outlet after a hearing last week.
“At one point, it is going to be clear that Edwin G. Castro is the rightful owner of the ticket,” the attorney added.
“I don’t know if they want to be paid and get money, but they are not going to receive a single dollar,” said the legal representative in reference to Rivera and Romero.