Beijing, December 29: A Chinese court has ruled in favour of a man who was defrauded of his 10 million yuan (INR 11.5 crore) lottery prize, but the victim has not received a single cent of his winnings. The case involves Yao, a water delivery worker in his 40s, who won the lottery in 2019. However, his prize was claimed by a man named Wang, who falsely represented the ticket as being purchased by his cousin, Gao.

As per the South China Morning Post report, Wang deceived Yao by sending him a picture of the winning numbers and offering 150,000 yuan (INR 17.25 lakh) as "spiritual compensation." Yao was convinced to sign an agreement and delete their chat records. Later, Yao discovered that Gao had claimed the prize and received 8 million yuan (INR 9.2 crore) after taxes. China Horror: In a Bid To Avoid Extra Work, Woman 'Poisons' Pregnant Colleague's Drink To Stop Her From Taking Maternity Leave.

Yao took legal action, demanding recognition as the rightful winner. The court ruled that Gao must return the winnings to Yao, with Wang also held responsible. Gao’s appeal was rejected in July 2024. Despite this ruling, Yao has yet to see any of the money, as the court froze Wang and Gao's bank accounts, which have no funds. Their homes have been put up for auction, but there have been no buyers. China Shocker: Doctor Kills Girlfriend by Administering 1,300 Mg of Anaesthesia for Insomnia in Sichuan Province, Sentenced to 2.5 Years in Prison for Negligent Homicide.

Yao, who earns just 3,000 yuan (INR 34,500) a month, has used his savings and taken on debt to cover his legal costs. "Before this incident, I lived a normal life. Now, I'm worried about my future," he said. Yao’s lawyer intends to request a court investigation into the missing prize money.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 29, 2024 09:08 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).