Criminal

Hot Lotto


Listen Later

In 2010, a $16.5 million Hot Lotto ticket was sold at a gas station in Des Moines, Iowa. At first, no one showed up to claim the prize. And then, a series of lawyers tried to claim the money on behalf of a client they would not name. Things got stranger, and eventually investigators uncovered what has been called the biggest lottery fraud in U.S. history.

This episode was first published in 2021. 

Say hello on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Sign up for our occasional newsletter, The Accomplice. Follow the show and review us on Apple Podcasts: iTunes.com/CriminalShow.

Sign up for Criminal Plus to get behind-the-scenes bonus episodes of Criminal, ad-free listening of all of our shows, members-only merch, and more. Learn more and sign up here.

Listen back through our archives at youtube.com/criminalpodcast.

We also make This is Love and Phoebe Reads a Mystery.

Artwork by Julienne Alexander. Check out our online shop.

Episode transcripts are posted on our website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

CriminalBy Vox Media Podcast Network

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

36,205 ratings


More shows like Criminal

View all
Serial by Serial Productions & The New York Times

Serial

75,226 Listeners

This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,800 Listeners

Snap Judgment by Snap Judgment and PRX

Snap Judgment

11,658 Listeners

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark by Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts

My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark

172,075 Listeners

This Is Actually Happening by Wondery

This Is Actually Happening

10,449 Listeners

In The Dark by The New Yorker

In The Dark

28,201 Listeners

Heavyweight by Pushkin Industries

Heavyweight

17,818 Listeners

Ear Hustle by Ear Hustle & Radiotopia

Ear Hustle

20,471 Listeners

This is Love by Vox Media Podcast Network

This is Love

9,354 Listeners

Allison after NXIVM from Uncover by CBC

Allison after NXIVM from Uncover

10,358 Listeners

Phoebe Reads a Mystery by Vox Media Podcast Network

Phoebe Reads a Mystery

5,481 Listeners

Deep Cover Presents: Snowball by Pushkin Industries

Deep Cover Presents: Snowball

4,545 Listeners

The Binge Cases: Watching You by Sony Music Entertainment

The Binge Cases: Watching You

4,324 Listeners

Scamfluencers by Wondery

Scamfluencers

7,394 Listeners

Bone Valley by Lava for Good Podcasts

Bone Valley

4,898 Listeners