A postal employee was arrested for stealing a winning lottery ticket in Florida.
A joint investigation by the Florida Lottery Division of Security and the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS OIG) resulted in the arrest of a United States Postal Service employee accused of stealing a winning Florida Lottery ticket from the mail and fraudulently claiming the prize.
The investigation began after a Florida Lottery player reported that a winning Pick 4 ticket she mailed through the United States Postal Service never reached its intended destination. A Florida Lottery Inspector determined the ticket had instead been redeemed at the Florida Lottery’s Miami District Office by Lakaysha Lockhart, who was later identified as a United States Postal Service letter carrier.
As the investigation progressed, Florida Lottery Special Agents and USPS OIG investigators conducted a joint operation that resulted in Lockhart’s arrest. Following her arrest, Lockhart admitted to stealing the winning Lottery ticket and redeeming it at the Florida Lottery’s Miami District Office.
According to law enforcement, Lakaysha Lockhart was charged with Grand Theft, Dealing in Stolen Property, Filing a False Claim for Payment, two counts of Unlawful Use of a Two-Way Communications Device, and Mail Theft. Because the alleged offenses occurred in multiple judicial circuits, the cases will be prosecuted separately.
“Our players deserve confidence that every Lottery prize is protected through strong security measures and diligent oversight,” said Florida Lottery Secretary Reginald D. Dixon. “I commend our Division of Security for their outstanding investigative work and thank our partners at the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office for their collaboration in protecting the integrity of Florida Lottery games and bringing this case to a successful resolution.”
The Florida Lottery Division of Security said it remains committed to protecting players and maintaining the integrity of Florida Lottery games through proactive investigations and strong partnerships with law enforcement agencies.
The Florida Lottery is responsible for contributing more than $51 billion to enhance education and sending more than one million students to Florida’s colleges, universities, and technical schools through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. The Florida Lottery reinvests 99 percent of its revenue into Florida’s economy through prize payouts, commissions to more than 13,600 Lottery retailers, and transfers to education. Since 1988, Florida Lottery games have paid over $110 billion in prizes and created more than 4,900 millionaires.
