The key facts

  • Five former employees of Lottomatica Holding (now Brightstar) are suspected of fraud involving €24 million in winnings
  • The investigation identified four cases: two tickets worth €7 million each and two worth €5 million each
  • The Court of Auditors of the Lazio region seized assets worth more than €25 million, including 25 real estate properties

Scheme involving access to the operator's systems

Italy is investigating an alleged fraud scheme in which five former employees of a lottery company collected winnings totaling €24 million. The investigation was reported by la Repubblica, as cited by Gazeta.Ru. According to investigators, the suspects learned in advance which tickets would yield large sums and sent relatives and acquaintances to buy them.

How it worked

As officers of Rome's financial police found out, the suspects had access to the lottery operator's computer systems. Using their work accounts, they could identify winning tickets before they went on sale and track which retail outlets they would be sent to. Trusted individuals then purchased the targeted tickets. Investigators documented four such cases: two tickets brought €7 million each, and two more brought €5 million each.

Asset seizure and next steps

The case involves former employees of Lottomatica Holding, now called Brightstar; the company itself is not accused of fraud by the investigation. By decision of the Court of Auditors of the Lazio region, the suspects' property and financial assets worth more than €25 million have been seized: 25 real estate properties in various Italian provinces, five cars and motorcycles, as well as cash. Investigators believe the employees' actions may have caused damage to the state, since the random nature of prize distribution was violated. No final decision has been made in the case: the court will have to establish the defendants' liability and determine the fate of the seized assets.