A high-profile trial has begun in Spain that could reshape attitudes toward lottery transparency and participant rights. At the center of the case is €4.7 million won in Primitiva back in 2012, but still unpaid. The case has become symbolic of how bureaucracy and human error can delay even the most straightforward matters for years.
The trial is taking place in A Coruña, with lottery ticket seller Manuel Eugenio Reija and his brother Miguel, a former Lottery Administration delegate, in the dock. They face up to six years in prison on charges of fraud, embezzlement, and money laundering. On the opposing side are the widow and daughter of the man who, it turned out, was the rightful owner of the winning ticket, but died never knowing about his prize.
A long search history
According to El País, the investigation lasted nearly 14 years and was marked by numerous twists. Initially, the seller claimed he had accidentally found the ticket at his workplace and immediately handed it over to the local Lottery office. Authorities launched a search for the owner, published announcements, and even appealed to the public, but more than 300 people came forward claiming the prize. Police found 11 different fingerprints on the ticket, further complicating matters.
For eight years, no one was able to prove their connection to the winning ticket. It was only in 2021 that investigators established the ticket belonged to a resident of A Coruña, who passed away in 2014. Now, his family is claiming the large prize, and the prosecutor is supporting their case. According to El Pais, it was the memory of the terminal where the tickets were checked that helped uncover the details: it turned out the seller scanned the winning ticket several times, and the first time was together with other tickets from the client, not accidentally as he had previously claimed.
Role of officials and disputed actions
Investigators believe that Manuel Reiha deliberately withheld information about the win from the client and tried to claim the prize for himself, using his brother’s official position. According to the prosecution, Miguel Reiha tried to speed up the payout process, bypassing standard procedures, and convinced colleagues that the ticket was found by chance. For 14 months after the win, no necessary steps were taken to find the true owner, raising suspicions of an attempt to conceal the ticket’s real origin.
Other employees of the Lottery Administration were also investigated but were eventually acquitted. A crucial point was that three months before the winning ticket expired, Miguel Reiha filed a claim for the prize on behalf of his brother, despite warnings about the need for an official investigation. During the trial, 32 witnesses are due to testify, including six police officers, while the defendants themselves will only take the stand on the final day of hearings.
A family drama with an unexpected ending
The story took a dramatic turn when it emerged that the true winner had never claimed the prize and died unaware of his luck. Police carried out a complex investigation, analyzing the player’s habits and ticket purchase routes to prove he was the rightful owner. Now his widow and daughter, supported by the prosecutor’s office, hope to claim the inheritance that could change their lives.
According to El Pais, this case has become one of the most convoluted in the history of Spanish lotteries. It highlighted how difficult it can be to prove a claim to a major prize if locating the winner is delayed and interested parties among the organizers get involved. In Spain, there is already a debate about the need to reform the oversight system for lottery payouts to prevent such situations from happening again.
Background and similar cases
In recent years, Spain has faced several high-profile cases related to lotteries and large prizes. For example, in April 2026, there was a discussion about the Cuponazo de la ONCE draw with a prize fund of 6 million euros, where new prize distribution rules sparked heated reactions among participants and experts. An analysis by russpain.com points to a rise in complaints about the transparency of lottery procedures and the need to review oversight mechanisms. Such stories underscore the importance of public trust in organizers and transparency at all stages of the draws, particularly when multimillion-euro sums are at stake.
In Spain, lottery disputes rarely reach the courts, but each case sparks public debate. Issues of fairness, responsibility, and participant rights remain in focus, and court rulings in such matters can impact the future of the entire gambling industry in the country.
