Last Updated on: 10th November 2021, 07:07 pm
Who is Iris Amador Argueta of Houston, US? Biography, Wiki
Iris Amador Argueta is a Texas woman arrested for stealing a million-dollar lottery ticket from her cousin on Long Island, which she gave him in cash so she could remain anonymous, authorities said.
Nassau County prosecutors said Tuesday that Argueta also forged lottery papers to trick family members into believing he had won only a small fraction of the grand prize.
Iris Amador Argueta’s Age
Her current age is 32 years.
Iris Amador Argueta Charged With Stealing Nearly $1 M Lotto Prize From Cousin
The multi-million dollar embezzlement began when the victim bought a $5 poker hold-them scratch-off at a 7-Eleven in Glen Cove last October at the New York State Lottery and scratched the ticket to reveal his seven-figure loot, authorities called.
As per the statement by the prosecutor, he then asked Argueta to claim the prize of $50,000 for him to protect his identity.
The suspect traveled to New York to get the ticket he had to mail due to COVID-19 precautions, prosecutors said.
Weeks later, he allegedly presented his cousin with a fake paper from the lottery officials and handed him $13,436 in cash, stating that the state would collect the rest of the taxes.
However, officials said the state had previously issued a press release in defense of Argueta’s $1 million jackpot, saying it had received a lump-sum payment of $537,440.
Prosecutors said the victim confronted his cousin about the fraud and threatened him with legal action.
Iris Amador Argueta Arrested
Nassau County officials said they recovered more than half of the stolen money from Argueta’s bank account.
“This defendant took advantage of his cousin’s trust by lying and manipulating him to pocket the majority of his million-dollar lottery ticket,” Acting Prosecutor Joyce Smith said.
“Through an excellent working relationship with the Glen Cove Police Department, we have secured over $300,000 in allegedly stolen funds and will aggressively pursue this matter.”
Argueta is accused of aggravated theft and faces 15 years in prison.
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