Toronto Senior Charged After Allegedly Claiming $1M Group Jackpot for Himself

^{Through his lawyer, 70-year-old Alex Parucha, who is charged with fraud and theft, maintains his innocence and says the dispute involves “complex facts” (Image: OLG)} 

A Toronto lottery winner has been charged with fraud and theft, after it’s alleged he claimed a group win all for himself.

70-year-old Alex Parucha won $1,000,000 on Ontario Lottery and Gaming’s (OLG) Lotto Max back in July, but Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) believe the jackpot should have been split between three people.

In a statement released by the OPP, investigators said the suspect claimed the winning ticket on July 2, 2025 and was paid out by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

However, the OLG’s forensic team later received claims suggesting that Parucha was not the sole owner of the lucky ticket and that winnings may have come from a “group play arrangement”.

Following an internal review, the case was referred to the OPP’s Investigation and Enforcement Bureau (IEB) which works with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

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An official investigation then began in September, which the IEB say confirmed suspicions the ticket was part of a group arrangement, meaning the $1,000,000 prize should have been shared among three individuals.

In a statement to CTV News Toronto, OLG spokesperson Tony Bitonti said it has a “robust process with many levels of scrutiny and transparency” in the prize claim process, adding:

“After reviewing claims suggesting lottery winnings paid to a claimant may have resulted from a group play, OLG’s Forensic Investigation Unit referred the case to the Ontario Provincial Police Investigation and Enforcement Bureau, and an investigation was launched, and charges were laid.”

Parucha, who is retired, now faces charges of theft over $5,000, fraud over $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime. These allegations have yet to be proven.

He was released from custody and is scheduled to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto on January 8th, 2026.

Speaking to CTV News, Parucha’s lawyer said his client “categorically denies” all charges and allegations against him and insists he has done nothing wrong.

In a OLG press release back in the summer, Parucha described how he was in “disbelief” when he discovered he’d become a millionaire after scanning his ticket with the OLG app.

“I double-checked my ticket and counted the zeroes. When I realized it was a $1,000,000 prize, I was overwhelmed.

Being a winner is a very emotional experience. It’s brought a lot of disbelief, happiness and excitement. I feel so fortunate to have won this prize.

I told my daughter and she was very excited, she said, ‘We’re millionaires now.’ My kids and I are very happy about this win.”

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Parucha told OLG he had initially won a free ticket and upon redeeming it, added the ‘Encore’ bonus game to the ticket at the suggestion of the cashier at Dawes Dollar & Video on Dawes Road in East York.

The added bonus game offers “an extra 22 ways to win” and made the ticket eligible for the massive jackpot, which was awarded after seven numbers drawn matched those on the ticket.

Parucha, who had been playing the lottery for nearly 30 years, planned to use the winnings to buy property, as well as share with family and add to his personal savings.

Police are asking anyone with information about the alleged fraud to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.