$2B Powerball ‘Pretender’ Will ‘Go to War’ for Winning Ticket

Posted on: December 4, 2023, 04:36h. 

Last updated on: December 9, 2023, 01:54h.

Philip Conneller @casinoorgphilc Read More
Expertise: Gaming Business, Regulation, Tribal Gaming.

A California man who claims to be the rightful owner of the world’s biggest lottery jackpot has vowed to continue his fight for the $2 billion prize he claims was stolen from him.

Jose Rivera, Edwin Castro, Powerball
Jose Rivera is interviewed by The US Sun on the steps of a Pasadena courtroom Friday. He promised to “fight until the end” for “justice.” (Image: Ruaridh Connellan/The US Sun)

Jose Rivera was speaking publicly for the first time since he sued winner Edwin Castro and his former landlord Urachi F. Romero. Rivera claims Romero stole the ticket from him and then blackmailed him to split the winnings before the ticket somehow ended up with Castro, who claimed the prize in February 2023.

Standing on the steps of the Pasadena courtroom where he is facing charges of filing a false police report in connection with the incident, Rivera told The US Sun it was “war,” and he would not back down.

“It’s ridiculous that they are trying to put charges on me for my own ticket,” he said. “I don’t have words for it. But I showed them that I am the rightful winner. I was the one who bought the ticket. I’m going to show everyone that I’m the rightful winner.

Rivera: ‘Fighting for Justice’

“If God wants me in jail for my own ticket … Oh well, that’s what he wants,” he continued. “But I’m going to fight until the end. I want justice and I’m going to show the world. I’m fighting for justice.”

Rivera added that he was not “hungry for money,” and was proud to be a “hard-working man.”

Shortly after Rivera sued, the California Lottery said it was confident Castro was the real winner. The lottery added that it’s “not authorized to investigate any criminal activity among its players.”

Charges Filed

In May, Romero told The New York Post he believed Rivera did have the winning ticket, although he denied stealing it and said he did not know how Castro got hold of it.

A month later, Pasadena police confirmed that they had relaunched a formal investigation into Rivera’s claim after initially closing the case. Last month, they charged Rivera with filing a false police report. That comes with a sentence of up to six months in prison.

In mid-November, Castro’s attorney, David De Paoli, claimed to have viewed video footage of his client buying the winning ticket, which he said should put the matter to bed once and for all.

But Rivera isn’t buying it.

“It’s gonna blow up,” he said. “I don’t want money, I want the truth. I’m tired. People think I’m stupid. I’m not stupid. I’m actually very, very smart.”