Two South Carolina Lottery-Fraud Cases Show What Happens When a Ticket Fails Validation

South Carolina authorities announced two separate lottery-fraud cases Thursday, offering a timely look at what happens when someone allegedly tries to redeem a ticket that does not match the lottery’s official records.

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, commonly known as SLED, charged Zarmonn Brushaud Boyd, 27, and Iveta Zavon Charmaine Gilliard, 25, in unrelated cases. Each faces a charge described as “Intent to Defraud, Counterfeit Game Tickets.” The South Carolina Education Lottery requested both investigations. South Carolina Law Enforcement Division

These are criminal charges, not convictions. Both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty, and the available public information does not establish the final outcome of either case.

What the announcements do establish is that lottery-ticket validation involves more than looking at the symbols printed on the front. A ticket must also pass the lottery’s electronic, physical and security checks before a prize is paid.

One Case Allegedly Involved Altered $500 Tickets

The arrest warrant attached to SLED’s announcement concerning Boyd provides the more detailed account.

Investigators allege that Boyd entered a Circle K in Spartanburg County on December 15, 2025, and attempted to redeem two scratch-off tickets for $500 each. According to the warrant, both were originally losing tickets that had been altered by removing $500 prize symbols from other tickets and attaching them to the losing tickets.

The warrant says Boyd requested a total payout of $1,000 but received no money. It also says the incident was captured on surveillance video and that investigators identified him through South Carolina motor-vehicle records. SLED announced his arrest on October 1 after he was booked into the Cherokee County Detention Center. The case is assigned to the 7th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. sled.sc.gov

The second announcement says SLED charged Gilliard on September 28 and booked her into the Dorchester County Detention Center. Her case will be prosecuted by the 1st Circuit Solicitor’s Office. SLED’s public notice does not state the number or value of the tickets involved, so those details should not be assumed from the charge alone. South Carolina Law Enforcement Division

A Ticket’s Printed Appearance Does Not Control the Claim

A scratch-off ticket may appear to display a winning combination, but that appearance is only the beginning of the verification process.

Lottery systems can check information such as the ticket’s identifying number, game, pack and validation status. Security personnel may also examine whether the ticket has been damaged or altered. A pasted-on prize symbol cannot transform a losing ticket into a valid winner because the altered result will not agree with the lottery’s underlying record.

South Carolina law expressly covers more than manufacturing a completely fake ticket. Section 59-150-260 also applies to intentionally making, altering, forging, passing or counterfeiting a lottery ticket with intent to defraud.

A conviction under that section is a felony punishable by as much as five years in prison, a fine of up to $50,000, or both. A person convicted under the provision is also ineligible to receive a lottery prize or work for the Lottery Commission. scstatehouse.gov

Those are maximum statutory consequences, not predictions about either newly announced case.

How Players Can Protect Their Own Tickets

Although these cases concern alleged fraud against the lottery, South Carolina’s official player-protection guidance includes several practical steps for ordinary customers.

Inspect a scratch-off before accepting it. The latex covering the play area should be intact. If part of the covering is already missing or the ticket appears damaged, bring it to the retailer’s attention before leaving.

Sign purchased tickets in ink. South Carolina treats lottery tickets as bearer instruments, so signing the back helps establish ownership if a ticket is lost or stolen.

Check your own results whenever possible. An official lottery app, self-service ticket checker, published winning-number source or lottery claim center reduces dependence on another person’s interpretation.

If a retailer validates a ticket, request the terminal receipt. South Carolina advises checking that its date, time and ticket number correspond to the ticket presented. A ticket generally can be validated only once, making it important to understand the result before surrendering it.

Finally, do not buy a supposedly winning ticket from a stranger. A story about why the original holder cannot claim the prize should be treated as a warning sign. The ticket could be stolen, altered, previously validated or worthless.

The South Carolina Education Lottery asks players who encounter suspicious ticket activity to contact its Security Department through the player-information number published on its tickets and website. South Carolina Education Lottery

LotteryWarrior Take

The central lesson is that the physical image on a ticket is not the lottery’s final authority. A legitimate prize must survive the complete validation process.

Ticket scanners and lottery apps can help players check tickets, but they do not determine the outcome of a random game or improve the odds of winning. They are verification and recordkeeping tools—not prediction systems.

Players should also resist the idea that a damaged, discarded or “mistake” ticket is somehow luckier. Before a drawing or scratch-off reveal, every ticket operates under the game’s published rules. Afterward, tampering with a ticket cannot create a lawful prize.

Responsible play includes protecting what you purchase: inspect the ticket, sign it, check it through an official channel and store it securely. If something about a ticket or redemption transaction seems wrong, keep the documentation and contact the lottery directly.

Reader question: Do you normally check your own tickets before handing them to a retailer, or do you rely on the clerk’s scanner result?

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