Man says friend duped him; pocketed lottery ticket money

LAKELAND, Fla. —  A Florida man is suing his friend for misleading him about the value of his $1 million lottery ticket, and for pocketing the proceeds after helping him cash it in.

The Lakeland Ledger (https://bit.ly/2ssuIs8) reported  45-year-old John Rhoades asked his 28-year-old friend Tyler Scott for help after realizing the scratch-off ticket he bought in April was a winner. Rhoades said he didn’t know how much the ticket was worth or how to cash it in.

The lawsuit said Scott told Rhoades it was worth $100,000. Attorneys for Scott said he gave Rhoades the money to buy the ticket, and that Scott scratched the ticket and won, later giving his friend $64,000.

A judge issued an order freezing both men’s bank accounts until ownership of the winning ticket can be determined.