Posted on: November 25, 2025, 06:31h.
Last updated on: November 25, 2025, 07:42h.
- $1 million lotto ticket was cashed in last July
- Police say winnings were supposed to have been split three ways
- 70-year-old charged with theft, court appearance set for January
A 70-year-old Toronto man has been charged with theft after allegedly cashing a million-dollar lottery ticket that was supposed to have been split three ways.
According to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Alex Parucha was charged after a fraud and theft investigation found initially that he claimed a $1 million Lotto Max Free Play ticket July 2, 2025, as a sole claimant.
Parucha then received payment from Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG). Turns out, after an OLG Forensic Investigation Unit review, the win might have been a group play arrangement.
Fraud and Theft Charges
The investigation then got pushed up to the OPP Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB), attached to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), responsible for conducting criminal, provincial and regulatory investigations to ensure integrity and public safety within AGCO regulated industries.
Officers from OPP IEB, with help from OLG, concluded in September that the ticket was in fact part of a group of arrangement. The winnings should have been split among three individuals, not just Parucha.
Parucha was arrested and charged with theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000, and possession of property obtained by crime.
Court Appearance in January
Parucha was released from custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto on Jan. 8, 2026.
OLG has a robust process with many levels of scrutiny and transparency in the prize claim process, an OPP spokesperson said.
“As this case is before the courts, we are unable to provide further details at this time,” he said.
An OPP spokesperson told Casino.org criminal charges may arise when there is evidence that an individual knowingly misrepresented or concealed the existence of a group agreement and claimed winnings solely for themselves.
OPP and OLG Investigation
This may involve an established group agreement where there is proof that multiple individuals contributed to the purchase of the ticket under a shared understanding that any winnings would be divided or intentional exclusion or deception where the accused acted deliberately to prevent other group members from receiving their rightful share.
The spokesperson said it might also involve financial gain through misrepresentation where the act resulted in the accused obtaining funds they were not entitled to, which constitutes fraud or theft under the Criminal Code.
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