World’s richest lottery winner Edwin Castro breaks silence after lawsuit claims $2b-winning Powerball ticket was stolen
POWERBALL winner Edwin Castro has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging his $2 billion Golden Ticket was stolen from its rightful owner, The US Sun has learned.
In the filing, Castro’s attorney David De Paoli argued that plaintiff Jose Rivera blatantly lied when he said he served the coined billionaire and served the fake Edwin Castro instead.
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The US Sun previously reported that Rivera filed a lawsuit in Alhambra Superior Court in February, alleging he bought the ticket with big money at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena on the day the November 8, 2022 draw was announced – resulting in the winner winning a staggering $997.6 million after taxes.
Rivera claimed the ticket was stolen that same day by a man named Reggie, who has since been identified as Urachi F. Romero and is listed in court documents as a co-defendant.
The plaintiff claimed he had asked Romero to return the ticket, but Romero refused, saying he had lost it but if he eventually found it they could share the prize.
Rivera claimed he refused to be blackmailed and reported the alleged theft to police California Lottery Commission and to law enforcement agencies.
Proof of delivery was filed on May 17 showing that court documents were allegedly delivered to Castro at his new $25 million home in the Hollywood Hills and received by an unidentified man.
A copy of the subpoena, complaint and other documents related to the case was delivered April 25 to a Hispanic man in his 50s at Castro’s disclosed address above the Sunset Strip, the filing said.
However, Castro’s legal team debunked the plaintiff’s claims, saying the papers were delivered to her client’s childhood home in Altadena, not his Hollywood Hills residence.
“Edwin Castro’s serve was not the winner of the Powerball jackpot to which the complaint relates,” argued Paoli.
Paoli claimed that Rivera’s lawsuit was served on Castro’s father, Edwin H. Castro.
The motion also argued that Rivera failed to connect Castro and the co-defendant: “There are no facts as to how Edwin Castro obtained ‘Reggie’s’ Powerball ticket.”
A case management conference and evidentiary hearing is now scheduled for July 24 at the courthouse in Alhambra, California, at which Rivera will be represented by attorneys Estela Richeda and Brian Kramer.
When approached by The US Sun, Castro declined to comment on the lawsuit or his historic victory.
Also, no attorney for the California Lottery Commission or Romero is listed as The US Sun attempts to reach the defendants.
When contacted by The US Sun Friday about the mix-up, Carolyn Becker of the California Lottery Commission stated, “It is not our practice to comment on pending litigation.”
“I will reiterate our previous statement that the California Lottery has the utmost confidence in its process in the process of screening for big winners.
“California Lottery remains confident that Edwin Castro is the legitimate winner of the $2.04 billion prize from the November 2022 Powerball drawing.”
Joe Chahayed, the owner of Joe’s Service Center, spoke exclusively to The US Sun after also making $1 million before taxes from the sale of the winning ticket.
The humble businessman, who decided to return to work at 6 a.m. the next day and give his winnings to his family, claimed that Castro actually bought the ticket and is a regular at his shop.
He said: “I knew the guy before he won, he came every morning to buy coffee, donuts and tickets … then he disappeared.”
“I thought he was mad at me or something had happened, but then someone told me he had won the money.”