By now you’ve probably heard that Remmele Mazyck, the disgraced former Arkansas lottery security official, was sentenced last week to 37 months in federal prison for swiping and then cashing scratch-off tickets that were worth about $500,000.
Although the criminal case against him is closed, a lawsuit involving his wrongdoing is still pending.
Mazyck’s sentence probably won’t impact the civil case, which was filed in August in Pulaski County Circuit Court, said attorney Lawrence Walker of Little Rock, who is representing plaintiffs who said they were injured because of Mazyck’s scheme.
The lawsuit is against the Arkansas Lottery Commission and its officials.
“I do know that him going to jail still leaves the picture incomplete,” Walker said. “I believe the lottery still owes the buyers of its tickets an explanation and probably some type of refund or reimbursement for them selling a game in a way that was somewhat dishonest. … There was never even an apology to the folks who bought those tickets.”
Between November 2009 and October 2012, Mazyck cashed 22,710 tickets for a total of $478,073. He was ordered to pay more than $482,000 in restitution.
Walker’s lawsuit seeks damages against the commission for negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract, fraud and unjust enrichment.
The commission has denied wrongdoing in its answer to the lawsuit and said it hasn’t violated the plaintiffs’ rights or any of its customers “in any way.” It asked that the case be dismissed.
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