The Villamanín Festival Committee (León, 1,000 inhabitants) has announced that it has received a criminal complaint following the controversy over the Christmas Lottery, a draw in which a number sold in the town was awarded, but there were unvalidated tickets. Those affected agreed on a reduction among the beneficiaries to balance the gains of those affected, but left open the possibility that someone might take the matter to court. The Leonese association has reported that there is “a formal claim” through the criminal route by owners of three of the unregistered tickets, who do not agree with the reduction.
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The amount of the tickets that were validated has already been distributed among all the winners ―59,400 euros per share― including those whose ticket was not validated and who are now claiming. According to the Festival Committee officials, the complaint “is being handled by the law firm and its processing will follow the appropriate legal channels.”
The group has issued a statement celebrating the “great success without incidents” of the payment process: 446 tickets have been paid and only one remains unpaid due to private matters of its owner. “Regarding the six tickets that did not adhere to the proposed agreement, it is reported that they have been paid the same amount as the rest, although they have reserved all rights to act as they see fit against the Association, as indicated when selecting this option on the platform,” they add.
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The Festival Committee has also pointed out that “two attempts of alleged fraud have been detected through tickets whose authenticity could not be verified” and that both are being studied by the Gómez Gallardo Abogados law firm, a Madrid-based firm they have entrusted with the case.
They also thank the Abanca bank for its cooperation in this process, as they have coordinated the payments with them. “At this time, work is underway on the final settlement of accounts, including the accounting of all expenses, tax provisions, and the economic closure of the process. Once completed, a detailed statement of the final settlement will be sent individually to the ticket holders,” the statement reads. Those involved add: “We have decided to assume with the tickets of our prizes so that there is no impact on the Association’s accounts and, therefore, no additional reduction in the amounts distributed, all possible consequences arising from the claims.”
The association has thanked the legal specialists who have helped them during this period and have emphasized this affection towards “all the winners who, with their support, have made it possible for this process to reach a successful conclusion.” “We sincerely hope you enjoy the prize and that it brings you much joy,” they concluded.
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