Colombia’s National Council for Games of Luck and Chance (CNJSA) has initiated a probe into the Medellín Lottery in the wake of а controversial jackpot win. The prize in question was won by a person related to the lottery, sparking concerns about its fairness.
A Lottery Win Marred in Controversy
The CNJSA’s audit will look into a controversial draw that awarded a prize of COP 16 billion ($3.9 million) to Luisa Jaramillo. As it turned out, Jaramillo was the wife of Rubén Callejas who served as the Medellín Lottery’s deputy manager at the time.
Needless to say, the public immediately suspected foul play, considering who the winner was. To make matters worse, the jackpot was won in a special Mother’s Month draw, sparking further worries that a potentially fraudulent scheme might have jeopardized the awarding of money for a good cause.
And, if these were not sufficient causes for concern, the winner announcement came almost immediately, exacerbating the public’s suspicions.
The backlash was immediate as social media exploded. Shortly after that, Callejas resigned from his position without commenting on the matter.
Colijuegos Authorizes CNJSA VP to Investigate the Lottery
The CNJSA will therefore investigate the lottery’s business and will probe its transparency and integrity procedures. The investigation will be led by Roberto Conde Romero, CNJSA’s vice president of organizational development and technical secretary.
Boasting an official authorization by Marco Emilio Hincapié Ramírez, Coljuegos’ president, Romero will personally travel to Medellín to investigate the lottery’s work. He will check for any red flags and see if the win was just a coincidence or, as many suspected, something worse.