LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A man who alleges he bought both winning tickets in a nearly $400 million California Lottery jackpot late in 2023, but lost the second ticket and to date has received only half the total prize, is suing to claim the full amount.
Faramarz Lahijani states in his Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit that he was granted 50% of the $394 million from the Dec. 8, 2023, Mega Millions grand prize. He says both tickets were bought at a Chevron station on Ventura Boulevard in Encino and Lahijani used the same numbers he has been playing the lottery for 30 years, which were chosen by his children: 21, 26, 53, 66, 70 and the mega number, 13.
Lahijani filed the breach of contract suit Friday and he filed a claim with the lottery commission Dec. 4, four days before the deadline to do so. A lottery representative did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Lahijani's suit, which seeks the remaining $197 million, states he is the only winner because "by virtue of his having timely submitted the first matching ticket, plaintiff is entitled to the entirety of the jackpot."