Man claims former co-workers cut him out of $1M lottery prize after being in pool for years: suit

A man from Canada has filed a lawsuit against 16 individuals who were once his colleagues, claiming that they excluded him from their $1 million lottery prize despite being part of a collective buying agreement for several years.

Philip Tsotsos, a resident from Windsor, Ontario, expressed a deep sense of betrayal as he did not receive his rightful portion of the winnings from the 2021 Max Lotto ticket. Consequently, he has taken legal action by filing a lawsuit asserting his position as the seventeenth winner.

"I looked after these individuals as if they were my own kin," Tsotsos shared with The U.S. Sun.

"These individuals are my companions. The sensation of discomfort dwells within me at this very spot," he conveyed, gesturing towards his chest, "exceeding the ache experienced due to financial matters."

Every member of the group received $62,500 each after the major victory. Even if Tsotsos had been part of the team, they would have still got $58,000 apiece.

Tsotsos is seeking a sum of $70,000 along with additional expenses and interest in his legal claim.

"I refuse to give up on this until I bring it to its full completion. They betrayed me, and I won't rest until justice is served in the courtroom," he declared.

The 16 defendants from Ontario have submitted a defense document stating that they had no association or knowledge of Tsotsos, denying any friendship with him.

"The accused categorically reject the claim that they were ever 'close companions' or 'intimate friends' with the claimant," stated the legal paper. "Certain defendants were merely colleagues of the claimant, while others had no acquaintance with him whatsoever."

Tsotsos stated that although he wasn't acquainted with everyone in the pool since a few belonged to a different workplace, he had developed a strong camaraderie with a few individuals.

According to him, the ongoing legal dispute has transformed into offensive assaults aimed directly at his reputation, causing irreparable damage to their friendship that lasted for a span of seven years, he added.

"During a span of seven years, I managed to maintain my restraint and self-control. However, within a mere fortnight, I underwent a drastic transformation akin to Jeffrey Dahmer, but in the realm of the lottery. I morphed into a horrifying entity that shattered any trust they had in me."

Following his job transition, he mentioned that the bonds of friendship persisted to such an extent that individuals within the group would send him text messages prior to a significant event or contest enquiring about his interest in participating.

He didn't contribute to the pool when the winning ticket was bought. It was agreed upon that he would contribute to the pool the next time he encountered the group members, as he no longer worked with them.

"Mr. Tsotsos did not contribute financially in order to participate, therefore we reject his claim for any compensation and we will vigorously protect the winners," stated David Robins, the defense lawyer representing the individuals who emerged victorious.

"In this particular case, he did not participate and he was omitted."

Joseph Deluca, the attorney representing Tsotsos, confidently stated that they have solid evidence of his membership in the pool. According to Deluca, this evidence takes the form of text messages, which he considers to be a definitive agreement between Tsotsos and the pool.

"All the content I possess in written form predates the selection... I can assure you it consists solely of justifications," Tsotsos expressed.