French Man Proposes Split of Jackpot After Credit Card Theft

In a surprising turn of events, a French man known as Jean-David E has suggested a 50/50 split of a €500,000 jackpot with the thieves who used his stolen credit card to purchase the winning scratch card. Speaking to RTL radio, Jean-David expressed his wish to see the thieves come forward, as the winnings would be confiscated by authorities otherwise.

On February 3, Jean-David’s backpack was stolen from his parked car, which led him to contact his bank. He discovered that perpetrators had made a €52.50 contactless purchase at a corner shop using his card. When he visited the store, he learned that two men, appearing homeless, had used his credit card to buy cigars and scratch cards.

These thieves claimed they won a major prize and were preparing to claim it from the French lottery operator Française des Jeux (FDJ). However, their inability to enter a PIN during transactions raised suspicion with the cashier. Following this, Jean-David notified the police, who alerted the FDJ. The potential claim for the scratch card winnings is under scrutiny, as the police are expected to seize the prize and apprehend the thieves if they approach the FDJ.

Time is running out, as scratch card winners must present their tickets within 30 days of purchase. Jean-David’s lawyer suggested that Jean-David wishes to avoid prosecution and is offering a rare opportunity for the thieves to alter their lives with half the winnings. “Unless they contact my lawyer, the ticket is unusable. So why not settle amicably and do fifty-fifty?” he stated. Jean-David aims to use his portion of the jackpot to help with his mortgage. Both the FDJ and Toulouse police have been contacted for statements on this unusual case.