Italian authorities uncover huge alleged scratchcard fraud
Italian financial police have seized assets worth more than €25 million from five former lottery concessionaire employees accused of manipulating computer systems to identify winning scratchcards before they reached retailers.
The Guardia di Finanza carried out the seizures as part of an investigation into alleged fraud involving Italy’s popular Gratta e Vinci instant lottery.
MORE: How real money scratchcards work
Investigators allege that the five former employees used privileged access to the concessionaire’s computer systems to identify four winning tickets worth a combined €24 million.
Two tickets reportedly carried prizes of €7 million each, while the remaining two were worth €5 million apiece.
According to investigators, the suspects arranged for relatives and acquaintances to purchase the winning tickets from authorised retailers after identifying where they would be distributed.
The alleged scheme effectively removed the element of chance from the purchases, allowing the individuals involved to collect prizes that might otherwise never have been claimed.
Authorities have seized 25 properties, five vehicles and additional financial assets as security against the alleged financial damage to the Italian state.
The action was authorised through proceedings before the Court of Auditors in Lazio, which is examining the alleged misuse of public funds.
The five former employees have been summoned to face proceedings concerning their potential financial liability.
The lottery concessionaire itself has not been accused of involvement in the alleged wrongdoing.
The investigation concerns the integrity of Italy’s state-authorised scratchcard system, rather than unlicensed gambling activity.
Italy’s Customs and Monopolies Agency oversees the national lottery sector and is identified as the public authority potentially affected by the alleged financial losses.
The latest seizures are precautionary measures and do not establish the suspects’ guilt. A court will determine whether the assets remain frozen while the proceedings continue.
The case raises significant questions about internal controls and privileged system access within lottery operations.
