Lottery winner Edward Putman charged with fraud accused of faking his £2.5m ticket.
Edward Putman was investigated by Hertfordshire Constabulary’s serious fraud and cyber unit after evidence came to light that his 2009 claim was not genuine.
The winning numbers, 6, 9, 20, 21, 31 and 34, were drawn on March 11 of that year, with the winning ticket reported to have been bought in the Worcester or Malvern areas.
The 53-year-old received the £2.5m lottery pay out later in 2009 after he made a claim for the outstanding lottery prize.
In 2015 an investigation was opened into the case, and officers have now charged the Station Road, Kings Langley resident for fraud by false representation.
The news emerged after reports that a Camelot whistleblower came forward to provide vital evidence into the alleged fraud. Detectives have been looking into allegations that Putman used Camelot fraud unit worker Giles Knibbs as an inside man for the crime.
It is alleged that Knibbs printed a ticket from inside the lottery’s main offices in Watford, using his 24-hour access to ticket printing machines.
After he was implicated in the alleged scam, Mr Knibbs took his own life amid claims he had blackmailed Putman for £900,000.
Putman has been released on bail to appear at St Albans Magistrates Court on October 16.
If convicted, Putman could be forced to repay the seven-figure sum under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Lottery operators Camelot was fined £3 million by the official watchdog, the Gambling Commission, in 2015 over the incident with the fine going to charities.
It was reported at the time that an investigation by the gambling watchdog found the winnings were given out after a ticket was produced which did not have a working bar code.
A spokesman for Camelot, said “We’re aware that an individual has been charged. However, while we appreciate that some people may want to know further detail, it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to comment at this stage, given that the matter is now the subject of criminal proceedings.”
A Hertfordshire Constabulary statement said: “Edward Putman was charged following an alleged fraudulent claim of a lottery prize.”
