| For Immediate Release Case # 14NF0628 February 7, 2014 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami
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CLERK CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING TO CLAIM LOTTERY PRIZE AFTER TAKING WINNING TICKET FROM UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATOR
SANTA ANA – A market clerk has been charged with attempting to fraudulently receive a state lottery prize after claiming ownership of a winning ticket taken from an undercover investigator. Muhammad Irfan Khan, 48, Anaheim, is charged with one felony count each of attempted grand theft, computer access and fraud, perjury by declaration, and presenting a false claim. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of four years in jail. Khan is being held on $20,000 bail and is expected to be arraigned Monday, Feb. 10, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. in Department CJ-1, Central Jail, Santa Ana.
This case was investigated by the California State Lottery (CSL), a state agency with a law enforcement branch that, among other responsibilities, conducts field operations targeting lottery fraud.
On Oct. 22, 2013, Khan is accused of working as a clerk at FM Food Store on Harbor Boulevard in Fullerton. A CSL undercover investigator entered the market with three traceable decoy special scratcher tickets, including two losing tickets and one $1,000 winning ticket.
The investigator presented his tickets to Khan, who is accused of checking them in the CSL computer system and falsely telling the investigator that all three were losing tickets. The defendant is accused of keeping the winning ticket after the investigator left the store.
Khan is accused of fraudulently mailing the winning ticket to CSL and signing on the Winner Claim Form under penalty of perjury that he was the rightful owner. On Dec. 2, 2013, Khan is again accused of filling out another claim form and signing it under penalty of perjury in the CSL office.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Robert Mestman of the Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.
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