Viral: Man wins $3.6 million lottery, girlfriend steals cash and ghosts him

A Canadian man’s lottery dream has turned into a legal nightmare after his longtime girlfriend allegedly cashed in his $3.6 million prize — and then vanished.

According to media reports, Lawrence Campbell of Winnipeg says he purchased the winning ticket, worth 5 million Canadian dollars (approx. $3.6 million), but was unable to claim the prize himself because he had lost his wallet and lacked valid identification.

Campbell says he asked his girlfriend, Krystal McKay, to claim the winnings on his behalf. The couple had been in a relationship for over a year and were living together. Campbell said he trusted her because they were in a loyal, committed, and promising partnership.

But just days after receiving the money, McKay allegedly cut off all contact and disappeared from his life.

Campbell’s lawyer told CTV News that McKay failed to return to their shared hotel room and stopped responding to his calls and messages. He eventually tracked her down, the lawsuit claims — only to find her with another man.

“She ghosted him, refused to take his calls, blocked him on social media, and even took out a protection order,” his lawyer said.

Krystal McKay has denied all the allegations through her lawyer and plans to respond in court, according to CTV News.

Campbell has filed a lawsuit in Manitoba’s Court of King’s Bench, naming not only McKay but also the Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries. He accuses the agencies of giving him poor advice and failing to caution him about the risks of having someone else claim a lottery prize on his behalf.

“This case is about systemic karma versus the system itself,” said Campbell’s lawyer. “A situation created — or at least enabled — by the state-owned lottery corporations administering claims in Manitoba.”