Should the OLG cut its losses on a $12.5M lottery ticket?

Ontario's lottery agency is seeking to recoup $12.5 million from a family accused of stealing a lottery ticket, but it may prove a costly gamble.

The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has already spent more than $27 million on the Lotto Super 7 ticket. In 2004, it paid $12.5 million to Kathleen Chung after the ticket was allegedly stolen by her brother and father. The Crown agency has also paid $12.5 million to the ticket's apparent rightful owners, plus $2.3 million in interest.

Earlier this year, the OLG filed a lawsuit against Chung and her family in the hopes of recovering the $12.5 million, but their chances of finding all the money and winning the lawsuit appear to be slim.

Forensic accountant Marilyn Abate says the Chungs appear to have set up a sophisticated "spider web" of accounts and numbered companies.

"They've had seven years to try and hide it and transfer it to different accounts, different jurisdictions and to different properties, or spend it," Abate told CBC News.

How do you think the OLG should proceed? Should it spend more money trying to recover the original $12.5 million? Or do you think it should cut its losses?


 (This survey is not scientific. Results are based on readers' responses.)