RIVERSIDE -- Authorities say six clerks were arrested for trying to cheat apparent lottery winners by telling them their tickets were no good, then cashing in themselves.
The arrests occurred Wednesday and Thursday in the San Gorgonio Pass and in the Coachella Valley. At least one of the clerks remained in jail Saturday
Undercover agents posing as customers say the clerks incorrectly told them that their tickets were no good. The agents handed clerks decoy winning tickets, and asked if they had won.
Some of the clerks told investigators their tickets were not winners, but then went on to file claims with the Lottery to collect the winnings.
The sting operation targeting lottery fraud was conducted by the District Attorney's Office and the California Lottery's Law Enforcement Division.
The District Attorney's Office will review the cases and decide whether to file felony charges against the clerks.
Those arrested in the sting were:-- Mariela Acosta, 25, of the Fiesta Meat Market in Indio;-- Omima Abdelaziz, 40, of Banning Tobacco;-- Mohammed "Mike" Ghazawi, 46, of Smoke & Beyond in Cathedral City;-- Ghatas Ibrahim Habhad and Wael Kardoh, 30, of Sherman's Liquor in Indio; and-- Khalil Ali, 45, of Eddie's Liquor in Banning.
Abdelaziz, Ghazawi, Kardoh and Ali were arrested Wednesday, according to jailers. Acosta was arrested Thursday.
Habhad did not appear in the county jail's information system.
When Kardoh was booked Wednesday, he was held on suspicion of other offenses, including perjury and attempted grand theft. He was held without bail.
Acosta, whose bail was listed as $25,000, was released Thursday, according to jail records. Ghazawi and Ali were initially held on $10,000 bail and they were released Thursday. Abdelaziz was initially held on $5,000 bail and he was released Thursday.
The arrests occurred Wednesday and Thursday in the San Gorgonio Pass and in the Coachella Valley. At least one of the clerks remained in jail Saturday
Undercover agents posing as customers say the clerks incorrectly told them that their tickets were no good. The agents handed clerks decoy winning tickets, and asked if they had won.
Some of the clerks told investigators their tickets were not winners, but then went on to file claims with the Lottery to collect the winnings.
The sting operation targeting lottery fraud was conducted by the District Attorney's Office and the California Lottery's Law Enforcement Division.
The District Attorney's Office will review the cases and decide whether to file felony charges against the clerks.
Those arrested in the sting were:-- Mariela Acosta, 25, of the Fiesta Meat Market in Indio;-- Omima Abdelaziz, 40, of Banning Tobacco;-- Mohammed "Mike" Ghazawi, 46, of Smoke & Beyond in Cathedral City;-- Ghatas Ibrahim Habhad and Wael Kardoh, 30, of Sherman's Liquor in Indio; and-- Khalil Ali, 45, of Eddie's Liquor in Banning.
Abdelaziz, Ghazawi, Kardoh and Ali were arrested Wednesday, according to jailers. Acosta was arrested Thursday.
Habhad did not appear in the county jail's information system.
When Kardoh was booked Wednesday, he was held on suspicion of other offenses, including perjury and attempted grand theft. He was held without bail.
Acosta, whose bail was listed as $25,000, was released Thursday, according to jail records. Ghazawi and Ali were initially held on $10,000 bail and they were released Thursday. Abdelaziz was initially held on $5,000 bail and he was released Thursday.
