Ex-lottery security officer charged with rigging more games

Authorities have filed new charges against a former Iowa lottery security officer who was convicted months ago of rigging a Hot Lotto game so he could win a $14 million jackpot. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for fraud and theft.

Iowa Lottery and Department of Public Safety officials announced Friday evening that Eddie Tipton was charged with ongoing criminal conduct in the tampering of lottery equipment so his brother and a friend could win prizes in Colorado and Wisconsin. The new charge is a Class B felony that carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.

Investigators say that Tommy Tipton, Eddie Tipton’s brother, claimed a $4.8 million jackpot in a 2005 Colorado LOTTO drawing, and was paid $568,990 of it.

Authorities received a tip after Tipton’s conviction that his brother, Tommy, had won a lottery drawing in Colorado, according to the new complaint.

Robert Rhodes, a friend of Eddie Tipton, claimed a $2 million jackpot in a 2007 Megabucks Lotto drawing in Wisconsin, and received a payout of $783,257.12. The winning numbers for the game in question were generated by random number generators that were built at Multi-State Lottery Association by staff that included former association employee Eddie Tipton. Tipton returned to Iowa from Texas today. Texas businessman Robert Rhodes, a longtime friend of Tipton’s, is facing two fraud charges connected to the case but has contested his extradition to Iowa.

“This is now a nationwide investigation that seeks to identify instances where individuals may have taken advantage of personal relationships to perpetrate fraud against the lottery game”, he said.

The prosecutor then claimed Tipton filtered the ticket through a network of friends and attorneys to try and claim the prize. Tipton has bonded out of the Polk County Jail. Iowa DPS says this is an ongoing investigation and asks anyone who knows of someone claiming a jackpot on behalf of another person contact Iowa DPS.

“It’s appalling to know that the person at the center of this case once worked at a vendor organization within the lottery industry”. “This s breach of trust against lotteries, our players, our games and the billions of dollars at stake for the worthy causes that lotteries benefit”.

Terry Rich, CEO of the Iowa Lottery and president of the North American Lottery Association, assured the public that lottery games are safe to play and there is no indication that this is more wide scale.

As part of the ongoing investigation, we are seeking the public’s help.