A lottery retailer in Weston Connecticut has been suspended from selling tickets due to allegations of ticket tampering.
The Connecticut Department of Consumer protection (DCP) claims Weston Hardware and Housewares co-owner Furkan Kudia violated the administrative regulations of the Connecticut State Lottery by pre-punching lottery tickets to check they were non-winners before selling them to his customers.
Kudia has acknowledged a "mistake" had been made with the Connecticut Lottery's $2 "5 Card Cash" tickets.
The 5 Card Cash game has a double feature that allows player the chance of an instant win as well as the chance to win a prize in a daily draw-type game. In a statement made shortly after the allegations of tampering were made Kudia said: "It was just a mistake, and we know what to do now."
After a hearing in May 2014, Kudia was asked to show good cause why his license to sell Connecticut Lottery tickets should not be suspended or revoked and, according to the DCP, the hearing officer recommended Kudia's license should be revoked.
Copies of the DCP's proposed decision were given to Kudia and his attorney and if the licensee wishes to present briefs, file exceptions, or request an oral argument with the DPC commissioner he must do so before Monday, July 7, 2014.
The Weston Hardware store is the only lottery retailer in the town of Weston and has previously sold several major prize-winning tickets including a $1 million Mega Millions ticket, in December 2013.
