BROCKTON (WBSM) — A Lakeville woman is one of two people indicted on charges that they schemed to steal and cash in a $3 million winning lottery ticket.

District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz announced that a Plymouth County grand jury had returned indictments charging Carly Nunes, 23, of Lakeville with one count each of larceny from a building, attempted larceny, presentation of a false claim and witness intimidation.

Also charged in connection was Joseph Reddem, 32, of Manchester, New Hampshire on one count of attempted extortion. The two will be arraigned on the indictments at a later date.

The D.A.’s Office said the indictments follow a four-month investigation by Massachusetts State Police, Lakeville Police and the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission “which involved a voluminous review of records, video surveillance footage and witness interviews.”

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The D.A.’s Office provided a detailed recounting of the events in a release Friday.

A male victim entered the store formerly known as Savas Liquors on Bedford Street in Lakeville on January 17, 2023 and purchased a bag of chips, two Mass State Lottery Quick Picks – including the multiplier – for the Mega Millions drawing, and two for the Mass Cash drawing.

The D.A’s Office said Nunes was working as the clerk and put the order into the lottery terminal, printing up two tickets, and then rang up his total order of $12 at the cash register.

“The man left the store and drove home with the bag of potato chips, but left his lottery tickets behind in the lottery terminal tray,” the D.A.’s Office said. “That evening, the man’s identical Mass Millions ticket numbers were announced as the winning numbers, earning a $3 million prize. After leaving the store and realizing he no longer had his tickets, the man briefly searched for them but concluded that they were lost.”

Another person came in about 45 minutes later to buy five lottery tickets, which Nunes printed and handed to the person. That person realized there were two extra tickets, and gave the two belonging to the victim back to Nunes.

“Nunes took the tickets and said they must have belonged to ‘him,’ meaning the victim,” the D.A.’s Office said.

On January 19, Reddem – who worked with Nunes at Savas – drove her and her boyfriend to the lottery headquarters in Dorchester to redeem the $3 million ticket, which at that time was torn and appeared to be burned.

“Nunes wrote up and submitted her claim for the winning prize. A state Lottery customer service representative scanned the ticket and determined the worth to be ‘three million dollars,’” the D.A.’s Office said. “When informed, Nunes and her boyfriend embraced and celebrated.”

“Shortly thereafter, Nunes and Reddem are seen on Lottery surveillance video arguing in the lobby. Reddem allegedly made demands of the jackpot and Nunes informed Reddem that she would ‘only pay him $200,000,’” the D.A.’s Office said.

State Lottery officials overheard the argument, and the D.A. said that coupled with the state of the ticket led lottery investigators to interview Nunes. She claimed she purchased the ticket at the end of her shift on January 17.

“Nunes stated that she mistakenly tore the ticket when removing it from her wallet and the burn marks were the result of her accidentally placing the ticket on a pipe,” the D.A.’s Office said.

Lottery officials opened up an investigation along with state police. According to the D.A., surveillance video confirmed that the male victim, not Nunes, purchased the winning ticket.

“During a further interview with investigators, Nunes no longer claimed to have purchased the ticket herself, but instead said she inadvertently obtained the winning ticket,” the D.A.’s Office said.

The true owner of the ticket was found on February 13, 2023.

“Investigators worked to find the true victim (and) owner of the winning ticket, posting flyers with screengrab shots of the man in surveillance video, canvassing the Lakeville area, and questioning patrons about the man’s identity,” the D.A.’s Office said.

The victim will receive his $3 million prize from the Massachusetts State Lottery.

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