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TALL TALE?
Jose Rivera’s landlord reveals new Edwin Castro lotto ticket theft theory involving wrong pants & a friend called Midget
Urachi Romero explained the connection between his friend Midget and Edwin Castro's families
THE mystery surrounding Edwin Castro’s winning $2 billion lottery ticket has been given another big twist - involving an ex-con known as Midget.
Los Angeles mechanic Castro, 32, was thrust into the spotlight after he won the record prize in November 2022.
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But landscape gardener Jose Rivera, 48, is fighting in court to prove that it’s him who is the legitimate winner.
He is suing Castro in an ongoing lawsuit for claiming the prize after it was allegedly stolen by Rivera’s then landlord Urachi “Reggie” Romero.
Meanwhile, cops have criminally charged Rivera with filing a false complaint when he reported the ticket missing.
Throughout the legal dispute, California Lottery has stood by Castro as the winner.
Read More Lotto wins
There is also allegedly CCTV evidence seen by Castro’s counsel, but not released to the public, which shows him buying the ticket at a gas station in Altadena.
Romero, 49, says he does believe Rivera had the winning ticket but denies he had anything to do with stealing it or giving it to Castro, who he claims he has never met.
He claims that Rivera had shown him the ticket with what later turned out to be the winning numbers and explained why he had picked them.
Approached by The U.S. Sun, Romero offered an alternative theory of how the ticket may have ended up in Castro’s hands.
Most read in The US Sun
He claims that a friend of his nicknamed Midget, who was visiting him shortly after being released from prison, could have taken it by mistake.
And he says that Midget has a cousin who has a link to Castro’s family.
Romero, who is a mason by trade, said, “Rivera had shown me the ticket and then put it in his front left pocket in his blue Levi’s.
“I remember my friend Midget coming over that night Rivera showed me the ticket.
“I was already leaving and Midget asked if he could crash.
“I said I was pretty busy but he could kick it in the back with Rivera.
“I told Midget to be ready to come to work with me in the morning.
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“I remember seeing Midget was wearing black pants when he got here but the next day when we went to go to work he was wearing blue pants like Rivera had.
“They’re both the same size so I assume he may have grabbed Rivera’s pants and put them on.
“Midget may have had the ticket in the pants without knowing that he had it.”
Romero explained that after work he paid Midget and dropped him off with his cousin.
He believes the ticket may somehow have ended up in the cousin's hands when they went to buy some beers together.
Romero said, “They went to buy beers so he may have pulled the ticket out then and given it to his cousin somehow, I don’t know.
Midget may have had the ticket in the pants without knowing that he had it.”
Urachi Romero
“I don’t think Midget gave the ticket to Castro but I can say that his cousin probably could have given it to Castro.
“It’s funny that the cousin has a link to Castro, he grew up with Castro’s cousin and they’re friends so maybe there’s a connection there.”
Romero was jailed last year after he was charged with possession of a firearm and unlawful possession of a controlled substance while armed.
Speaking over the phone, Midget - who did not give his real name - said he may have taken Rivera’s pants by mistake.
He said: “Its possible I may have given my cousin the ticket when I gave him money for beers that night, I don’t know.
“The last time I spoke with Rivera he accused me of stealing his ticket.
“I told him ‘If you think that then don’t talk to me’ and I stopped talking to him.
“Like, quit stop playing games.
“We’re talking about a lot of money, it’s not a game.
“Accusing somebody of something like that is not funny, plus I’ve already got a record so it’s not good for me to be accused of stealing.”
Rivera told The U.S. Sun last month that he has a pic of a pizza which will prove he is the owner of the Powerball jackpot ticket.
Read More on The US Sun
He said the case now hinges on a specialist enhancing the photo, which he claims shows the ticket on the day of the draw.
Castro’s attorney declined to comment on the latest claims by Romero.
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