Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich
The insider convicted of tampering with lottery equipment to try to win a $16 million Hot Lotto jackpot five years ago is now accused of helping his brother and his best friend win jackpots from other state lotteries.
“It truly was a breach of trust and all roads seem to lead to Eddie Tipton,” says Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich, who is also the current president of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries.
Tipton was the information security director for the Multi-State Lottery Association. A jury convicted Tipton on fraud charges in July and last month he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Jim Saunders of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says after that conviction, authorities got a tip Tipton had rigged drawings in other state lotteries.
“This is now a nationwide investigation that seeks to identify instances where individuals may have taken advantage of personal relationships to perpetrate fraud against a lottery game,” Saunders says.
Authorities are asking the public to come forward if they know of instances where someone who did not buy the winning ticket has been asked to claim a lottery prize in another state.
Radio Iowa