The family of José Rivera — who is suing Powerball winner Edwin Castro for allegedly cashing a stolen ticket — believes his story and thinks he should keep fighting.
Castro is being supported by the California Lottery as authorities say they have evidence that he is the rightful winner of the $2.04 billion jackpot.
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However, questions have been raised by experts as the lottery refuses to release surveillance footage and remained silent after the allegations emerged.
Rivera reported the alleged theft to the Pasadena Police Department, but has since been accused of filing a false report for a “waste of time and resources.”
He has hired a new lawyer despite revealing he is strapped for cash and now his family has broken their silence on the bizarre case.
Asked whether they think he should continue fighting Castro, his sister, who asked not to be identified, said: “If he has the energy, go ahead. I… don’t have the energy. But I believe he is the real winner.” . , it makes sense.”
She continued, “Like he said, it’s [the ticket] Was stolen. I believe him because he is my brother and speaks the truth.
“But let’s see what happens. I don’t get too involved in his business, I’m very reserved.
“I just listen to him, I’m his big sister and when he needs help I’m here for him. He talks to me about it.”
The US Sun learned that Rivera is one of five siblings who lost their father to cancer in 2020 and their mother to Covid just months later in 2021.
He’s fine, we assure you he’s fine.
Rivera’s sister
He has also separated from his wife and the mother of his children and has had to move out of his old family home, which now sits empty next to his sister’s property.
The gardener owns Rivera Landscape Maintenance LLC, but has barely worked in recent months and also reportedly lost his car.
“We’ve been through a lot,” her older sister told The US Sun.
“Covid hit and my dad was diagnosed with cancer, and then we lost our parents.
“He has a family, I talk to them from time to time, but they had to move next door [because of the split]. Things happen.”
Edwin Castro Powerball Winning Timeline
When and why Castro was prosecuted
On November 7, 2022, Castro purchased a winning Powerball ticket at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, California.
The grand prize was $2.04 billion at the time – the largest in US history.
On February 14, 2023, the California Lottery announced Castro’s win, and he took home a one-time payment of $997.6 million.
Castro’s identity was disclosed, but little information was known about the former mechanic.
In May 2023, Jose Rivera, a California gardener, filed a lawsuit claiming he was the rightful owner of the golden ticket.
Rivera claimed that its former owner Urachi F. Romero stole the ticket before it ended up in Castro’s hands.
Since filing the lawsuit, Rivera has been accused of filing a false police report and was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation by a judge.
However, Rivera pleaded not guilty to the charge, passed the evaluation and continues to defend his story.
She admitted that Rivera, 49, has been struggling for money due to being unemployed, but is surviving with the help of family and friends and is currently couch surfing.
“I don’t know about his business, but he stays here and stays with my other sister, he’s between places,” she said.
“I don’t know who is paying his lawyer, that’s his problem. But he’s fine, we make sure he’s fine.”
Rivera hired famed defense attorney John Michael Flanagan, who represented Michael Jackson’s disgraced doctor, Conrad Murray.
He was hired through Murray’s manslaughter trial and conviction for the doctor’s role in the pop star’s death.
The US Sun spoke to him before the trial date was set and he said he is “excited” about his new legal team.
“I feel like I won the lottery again, it’s going to be fun,” he said.
LOTTERY SUPPORT
During the hearing of his criminal case this week, Judge Donna Hollingsworth spoke with Flanagan, who appeared via video call.
The lawyer said, “I was there this morning and received from the public defender the discovery that it is about six or four inches thick.”
Flanagan added that he spoke with the district attorney and asked that the case continue, which was granted.
Rivera, who has pleaded not guilty in the case, will appear in court on July 8, 2024.
He is also back in court for his civil case on July 25 in Alhambra.
The lottery previously released a statement supporting Castro, who also has a new attorney and is preparing for his next hearing.
Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Becker said, “When it comes to the verification process for big winners, the California Lottery has the utmost confidence in its process to do so.
“The California Lottery remains confident that Edwin Castro is the rightful winner of the $2.04 billion jackpot resulting from the November 2022 Powerball drawing.”
Castro’s former lawyer, David De Paoli, also stated that he “personally saw the surveillance footage” from the gas station where the ticket was purchased, describing it as “crystal clear.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
