Edwin Castro, identified as the winner of the $2 billion Powerball in California, went from anonymity to public recognition in a matter of three months; but not in the best way…
Anyone who does not know the story of this 30-year-old Hispanic at all could be taken by surprise by the postulate.
But the controversies that surround him after it was revealed that he claimed the largest prize in the history of lottery games in the United States and the measures he has taken confirm it.
The fact that the paparazzi are now after Castro is not the most uncomfortable part of the matter.
The reason why they do it, beyond the large sum of money he claimed, yes.
Castro has not spoken to the media since his name was released on February 14 and only provided written statements to representatives of the California Lottery in reaction to receiving the award.
“As much as I am shocked and ecstatic to have won the Powerball, the real winner is the California public school system,” he said in written statements released by California Lottery officials at the press conference attended by the man. Did not assist.
“The mission of the California Lottery, which is to provide supplemental funding for public education in California—both public schools and universities—makes this a great victory for the state. As someone who was rewarded by being educated in the California public education system, it is gratifying to hear that, as a result of my winning, the California public education system benefits greatly as well,” she added.
Many await the moment when Castro, who worked as a mechanic and began architecture studies at Woodbury University in the city of Burbank, comes forward and tells his part of the story, since he is the center of a lawsuit in which another Hispanic , identified as José Rivera, alleges that the winning ticket for the multimillion-dollar sum was stolen.
Instead of the above, the Hispanic has committed his time and efforts to buy two mansions, one in the Hollywood Hills and the other in Altadena; buy a white Porsche 911 convertible; and walking with an interior designer through luxury stores.
Each movement is escorted by members of a security team that he hired after being publicly identified. Castro, has not even returned to appear at Joe’s Service Center, in Altadena, where the ticket was purchased.
Castro must respond to a preliminary hearing in the Alhambra court as part of the case on July 24.
So far, the only judicial move by Castro and his lawyers was to file a motion last week alleging that the court incorrectly served the lawsuit documents on his father and not on him (father and son have the same names), in an apparent attempt to derail the litigation.
The California Lottery for its part reaffirms its position that the strict verification requirements for jackpot winners do not provide room for fraud such as the one denounced.
While his silence persists, media reports and the rest of those named in the lawsuit call into question his credibility.
Urachi F. Romero, who is named in the lawsuit as the person who took the winning ticket that Rivera allegedly bought from a table, spoke to the New York Post over the weekend.
As part of his statements, Romero, initially identified in the lawsuit as “Reggie”, denied having illegally taken the ticket, but assured that it belonged to Rivera, from whom he rented a space in his home for a while.
Romero went further by revealing before a camera that Rivera had explained to him why he selected each of the numbers that were the winners of the November 8 draw.
He also provided a video in which Rivera is allegedly seen searching the house in search of the allegedly stolen ticket.
The media have managed to slowly reveal some details of Castro’s identity. The truth is that as long as the supposed winner does not speak and the lawsuit is not resolved in court, there are pieces in this puzzle that will continue to not fit and are on Castro’s table…
Keep reading:
Defendant in case of alleged theft of the $2,000 million Powerball ticket assures that Edwin Castro is not the winner
Video shows José Rivera looking for a winning ticket for the $2 billion Powerball that was allegedly stolen from him in California
Edwin Castro, identified as winner of the $2 billion Powerball in California, alleges that his father was served with lawsuit papers and not him properly