LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – A Greeley man, Jeremiah Ehlers, 49, is facing criminal charges after allegedly stealing a $300,000 lottery ticket and fraudulently claiming the prize. The theft occurred in April 2024, when Ehlers presented the winning Diamond Dollars scratch ticket to the Nebraska Lottery for redemption. He received $213,000 after taxes.
Ehlers was charged with theft by deception, a felony for amounts over $5,000. The case began when the company that owned the convenience store where Ehlers worked alerted the Nebraska Lottery on April 23, 2024. They provided video evidence showing Ehlers stealing scratch tickets during work hours.
According to the affidavit, security footage revealed Ehlers attempted to validate the winning scratch ticket before purchasing it, violating Nebraska State Statute 9-829. Investigators found that Ehlers had falsely portrayed the ticket as one he had legitimately purchased. Further review of the store’s surveillance showed him correctly selling tickets 29 times but also caught him buying tickets before receiving them from another store employee.
The authorities seized $128,769.31 from Ehlers’ First National Bank accounts, the majority of the $213,000 prize money. Investigators also discovered that Ehlers spent the remaining $84,230.69 on vehicles, contractor services, and payments to creditors.
Ehlers declined to provide an interview with law enforcement after the investigation.
