ELIZABETH, N.J. – A jury in New Jersey has found that a man cheated five co-workers out of their share of a $38.5 million lottery jackpot.
The men worked at a construction company in Elizabeth and began a lottery pool in 2007.
Americo Lopes claimed the winning numbers for the Nov. 10, 2009, jackpot were on a personal ticket and not the ticket that he had bought for the pool. The jury on Wednesday disagreed.
The Star-Ledger of Newark reports that Lopes left court saying in Portuguese that he had been robbed.
The newspaper reports that a construction worker not involved in the lawsuit testified that the men gave Lopes money for the pool on the day of the winning drawing.
It's not clear how much money the men will get.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
