Collect $4 Million, Go Directly to Jail

Barry Shell of Brampton, Ontario could call it his lucky day -or his unlucky day. He won $4.4 million dollars in the Canadian Lotto drawing July 18th. Monday, he went to pick up his winnings at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, and was photographed with the check.

Then Shell strolled out of the building and into the hands of Peel Regional Police officers.

He was wanted on a six-year-old warrant for failing to appear, theft under $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime.

According to a spokesman for the OLG, every lottery winner undergoes a security check, and if anything is turned up during the course of the investigation the matter is turned over to the Ontario Provincial Police.

At least he was able to raise the bail. http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/07/22/lottery-winner.html -via Arbroath

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the best part is (and it appeared in the Toronto Star article about this), the police officer who waited on the sidelines to arrest him after he was received the cheque was actually sad about the whole thing and said he was a decent guy.

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I'd take the money. Dude doesn't have to worry about his criminal record any more.

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hmm, I wonder if he can scrounge the money up to cover bail and such..

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I think he would've been an idiot for passing up 4 million on the chance he would be tagged for a six-year-old beef.

With the money he can get himself a great lawyer. Even if he has to do time - he can clear up the beef and have a nice chunk waiting for him when he gets out.