(Newser)
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When Maureen Holt checked the status of her EuroMillions ticket at the British store where she bought it, employee Farrakh Nizzar told her it was a loser—then asked if she wanted it back. When she told him to toss it, he kept it … because he scanned it and knew it was actually a winner. The 30-year-old then tried to cash in on the $1.57 million winnings, but aroused suspicions when he couldn't answer questions about the ticket. The lottery company confirmed he was not the true winner—and now he's in jail for 30 months, Sky News reports.
Nizzar pleaded guilty to fraud last month. The lottery company had tracked down the real winners, 78-year-old Holt and her 80-year-old husband Fred, via their supermarket club card, and they received their jackpot. Making matters worse for Nizzar: His visa is expired and he will be deported to Pakistan.
