Rightful winner of $3 million lottery could finally claim prize after ticket was stolen by two store workers

Over six months after he purchased the lucky ticket, a man from Massachusetts has finally been able to claim $3 million in lottery winnings.

Paul Little went into the Lakeville Market & Liquors on 17 January and purchased two Mega Millions Quick Picks and two Mass Cash tickets, while also adding a multiplier to increase his chances of bagging some mega money.

Shop worker, Carly Nunes, printed out the tickets while scanning the rest of Little's order, which included a bag of barbecue potato chips.

But Little left the lottery tickets behind, something he assumed he had just lost, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office.

However, authorities say this is when Nunes and one of her colleagues worked on a plan to steal the ticket - a ticket that just so happened to be a winning one.

CBS Boston

After Nunes and co-worker, Joseph Reddem, discovered they were in-possession of a winning ticket, they headed to the local lottery headquarters.

But clerks at the lottery base noticed the ticket had burn marks on it and was also torn up.

Just as lotto officials were about to reward the pair with the winnings, they overheard an argument as Nunes told Reddem he would get only a $200,000 cut.

Officials had major doubts their claim was legit, so a full investigation was launched.

Alongside the police, state lottery officials reviewed CCTV footage from the store, where they discovered Little had purchased the winning ticket.

Nunes then admitted to not buying the ticket, before going on the run for two weeks.

After police caught her, the shop worker has since pleaded not guilty to charges to cash in the winnings.

Despite that, she is being held on a $10,000 bail on charges of larceny from a building and attempted larceny, while also being charged presentation of a false claim and witness intimidation.

CBS Boston

As for Reddem, he has pleaded pleaded not guilty to one count of attempted extortion, according to the district attorney's office - and has been allowed to go free.

Little was finally awarded his rightful $3 million winnings on Friday (30 June), saying he plans to spend some of the money on paying off his mortgage and donating to charity.

"I've got to say, I'm pretty excited today because it's real today with the check in hand," he told press at the local lottery headquarters.

He continued: "It really gave me a greater appreciation for what the Mass Lottery does as far as making sure the rightful people get the award.

"I can't say enough for all the people who helped me get to this point."