A LUCKY lottery winner's life has changed forever, but a new lawsuit could make his lottery dream a living nightmare.
Last month, Edwin Castro was named the largest Powerball winner of all time after scooping a whopping $2.04billion jackpot.
The player, thought to be in his 30s, defied odds of one in 292million to win the prize and was identified months after he bought the winning ticket in California.
But, Castro is now being sued by a man who claims his lottery ticket was stolen.
Castro bought the lucky ticket at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena – around 15 miles north of Los Angeles.
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But, legal documents obtained by TMZ claim that Jose Rivera also bought a ticket from the same store on November 7 - the day before the huge draw.
Rivera has alleged that a man known as “Reggie” stole the ticket from him.
He claimed that Reggie’s ticket contained the winning numbers, but he said it wasn’t a winner.
Rivera alleged that Reggie told him he would only hand the ticket over if the winnings were split equally.
He reported the alleged theft to cops and the California Lottery.
Both Castro and Reggie have been named in the lawsuit that has been filed.
Lottery officials announced Castro had won – more than three months after he bought the winning ticket.
It was the largest single lottery payout to an individual, according to the California lottery.
Castro didn’t attend his presentation but said in a statement that he was “shocked and ecstatic” from the huge win.
He said: “As someone who received the rewards of being educated in the California public education system it’s gratifying to hear that as a result of my win, the California school system greatly benefits as well."
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Castro scooped approximately $997.6million after taxes were deducted from his winnings.
Details regarding the winning lottery player remain scant as only Castro’s name was disclosed to the public.
Officials said: “Edwin Castro's name is now part of public record.
"As with all of our winners, but in an effort to balance transparency with privacy, that's the only information that's subject to public record."
Lottery officials added that they respect the privacy of winners.
They said: “But we also like to humanize the lottery. We like to reveal the names of our winners, particularly those who win top prizes like Mr. Castro."
It has since emerged that he has splashed out on a lavish Hollywood mansion that cost more than $25.5million.
The real estate news website Dirt revealed that the stunning property has 13,000 feet of living space, five bedrooms, and six bathrooms.
It also comes with a plunge pool, movie theater, wine cellar, sauna, and rooftop deck.
California Lottery officials remain confident that Castro is the “rightful winner” of the huge prize.
A spokesperson told TMZ: “Further, when it comes to the vetting process for big winners, California Lottery has the utmost confidence in its process for doing so.
“California Lottery remains confident that Edwin Castro is the rightful winner of the $2.04 billion prize stemming from the Powerball drawing in November of 2022."
