A MAN who scooped a £1million lotto jackpot was left devastated after being told he could take home nothing.
Lucky couple Fred and Maureen Holt, from Greater Manchester, were left empty handed after being scammed by a conman.
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The lucky couple bought two lucky dip EuroMillions tickets from their local a Tesco Extra store in Oldham before going on holiday to Spain in 2012.
But the lucky couple were tricked out of their winnings after shop worker Farrakh Nizzar saw a message advising the holder to contact Camelot.
On their return Maureen went to the Best One shop in Watersheddings, Oldham, and spoke to Nizzar, who she knew as “Lucky”.
A court heard how Nizzar, 30, then told Maureen Holt her life-changing ticket was worthless.
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As soon as Mrs Holt left, Nizzar called Lottery organiser Camelot to claim the cash.
Prosecutor Duncan Wilcock said: “Mrs Holt said he was a really nice man. She asked him to check the lottery tickets for her.
“Lucky told her she had not won and asked whether she wanted the ticket back.
“She said in the circumstances she did not, handed over the ticket and bought some more lucky dip tickets for the following week. She left and thought nothing more of it.”
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An investigator later confronted Nizzar, who stared at the floor and said: “I am the owner of the ticket but have a bad memory”.
He then pleaded guilty to the scam and was sentenced to 30 months at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.
Recorder Philip Cattan said: “This goes to the heart of public confidence in that the National Lottery benefits good causes. You acted in breach of trust – hers and the shop which employed you.”
Mrs Holt and her husband said in a statement: “We are glad justice has been done and this matter is now behind us.
“We can now look forward to enjoying our win and spending some time with our family and friends.”
Detective Constable Kate Carnally, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “To cheat an elderly woman and try to claim the money for himself was both callous and underhand.”
At the time Camelot spokesman said: “The success of the National Lottery is built on player trust and the sentence handed down to Mr Nizzar provides clear evidence that Camelot will not allow that trust to be undermined in any way.”
It comes as two brothers used a “secret code” in the most audacious lottery scam in history – but a mistake meant they never got the cash.
Eddie Tipton began his “Hot Lotto” fraud in 2005 while working for the Multi-State Lottery Association in Iowa, USA.
