A Winnipeg man is suing after winning a $3.6 million lottery jackpot, only to lose it when his girlfriend took the money and vanished.
Lawrence Campbell says he bought a 6/49 lottery ticket in January 2024 and won $5 million Canadian dollars. He thought his luck was finally changing after losing his wallet. But instead of sharing the prize, his girlfriend, Krystal McKay, left him in a hotel room and took the cash.
The couple publicly claimed the prize on January 30, 2024, posing with a giant check in McKay’s name. At the time, Campbell said he had bought the ticket as a birthday gift for McKay, his girlfriend of more than 18 months. McKay told lottery officials she planned to use the money to support her family.
However, Campbell’s lawsuit reveals a different story. He says he actually bought the ticket on January 19 and asked McKay to hold it because he had lost his wallet. He claims he only found the ticket later at a friend’s house and discovered the win by scanning the barcode.
The lawsuit states that Campbell was told he couldn’t claim the prize because he lacked a valid government ID. Officials advised McKay to claim the money by signing the ticket and collecting it publicly. Since Campbell didn’t have a bank account, McKay put the winnings into her own account.
Less than two weeks later, McKay disappeared. She stopped answering Campbell’s calls, didn’t return to their hotel room, and blocked him on social media. Campbell says he later found her in bed with another man and learned she had taken out a protection order against him.
Campbell is suing for the full prize, arguing the money belongs to him. He claims McKay agreed to hold the winnings for him until he could get proper ID and set up a bank account. McKay denies the allegations and plans to file a defense.
Lottery officials warn players to sign their tickets immediately after purchase and keep them in a safe place. The Virginia Lottery advises never to give an unsigned ticket to anyone else unless you are okay with them claiming the prize. “A ticket is a bearer instrument,” they say. “By signing it, you protect yourself.”
