A 36-year-old South Carolina man thought he had figured it all out – show up at an interview, but snag a bunch of lottery tickets in a bid to defraud the state’s lottery instead.
Man Interviewing for a Job Thought He Could Get Away With Stolen Tickets
This plan would have almost worked had it not been for the simple fact that the South Carolina Education Lottery has contingencies, and people trying to cash in stolen tickets usually leads to one inevitable outcome – their arrest.
The suspect, one Antonio Levon Ricard Stewart was supposedly applying for a job on May 5, 2025. During an employment screening, the man, prosecutors allege, stole a pack of lottery tickets with th eintent to defraud the lottery. Stewart was only arrested in August 2026.
At least one $5 ticket was redeemed at the Friendly Neighbor gas station, with two other venues visited – two tickets were rejected t the Carolina C Store and three were rejected at a Refuel.
Stewart’s plan failed as the lottery has multiple security mechanisms in place to ensure that noone can just steal the lottery tickets and then use them to redeem prizes.
Before a ticket can be even registered as eligible it has to reach one of the retailers which then in turn scan it and communicate the registration back with the lottery’s headquarters.
Apart from this, the lottery also has a 24/7 hotline where a stolen ticket can be reported, meaning that it is very difficult to steal a ticket and redeem it without detection. Even if someone managed – which happens – they will still have their faces recorded in the store due to surveillance.
Presently, Stewart is remanded to the Florence County Detention Center on three counts of intent to defraud the lottery. He could face a total of 15 years behind bars and a maximum penalty of up to $150,000.
Ironically, if found guilty, Stewart would not be able to receive lottery prizes in South Carolina specifically.