ALHAMBRA — The declared winner of the record-breaking November $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot says in new court docket papers {that a} course of server for a person who sued him, insisting the prize is his, wrongly offered a summons and replica of the go well with to the defendant’s father, whose title is similar apart from the center preliminary.
State officers have denied plaintiff Jose Rivera’s declare in his Alhambra Superior Courtroom lawsuit in opposition to the California State Lottery Fee that he’s the lottery winner, insisting that Edwin G. Castro, additionally a defendant within the go well with, is the correct winner as introduced on Feb. 14.
In court docket papers filed Thursday, Edwin G. Castro’s legal professional says the individual served with Rivera’s criticism was truly Castro’s father, Edwin H. Castro, and that the daddy will not be approved to obtain such papers on his son’s behalf.
Edwin H. Castro says in a sworn declaration {that a} course of server got here to his Altadena residence on April 25 to current the summons and the lawsuit.
“I informed the method server that he was serving the unsuitable Edwin Castro, however he displayed little concern,” the elder Castro says.
Edwin G. Gastro says in a separate sworn assertion that he gained the Nov. 7 jackpot, that he lives in Los Angeles and that he “by no means personally obtained a duplicate of the summons and criticism from a course of server.”
In his go well with introduced Feb. 22, Rivera maintains he purchased the victorious ticket at Joe’s Service Middle in Altadena the day earlier than the Nov. 8 drawing, however that it was stolen by somebody recognized solely as “Reggie,” a co-defendant within the go well with, on the identical day.
In subsequent court docket papers, Rivera’s attorneys recognized “Reggie” as Urachi F. Romero, who couldn’t be reached for remark.
Rivera requested Romero quite a few occasions to return the ticket, however he refused, telling that plaintiff amongst different issues that the 2 might break up the winnings if he discovered the ticket, in keeping with the go well with, which additional states that Rivera refused to be blackmailed and reported the alleged theft to the fee and to legislation enforcement.
However in his court docket papers, Edwin G. Castro’s legal professional says there aren’t any particulars within the lawsuit as to how his consumer allegedly obtained the profitable Powerball ticket from anybody named Reggie.
A listening to on Edwin G. Castro’s movement to quash the service of the summons and criticism is scheduled July 19 earlier than Decide William A. Crowfoot.
