Man who accused billionaire Powerball winner Edwin Castro of STEALING winning ticket could be charged with filing false police report, cops say

• Pasadena Police now believe that Jose Rivera lied about Edwin Castro stealing the $2.04 billion Powerball ticket 
• Rivera claimed that his former landlord stole the ticket and gave it to Castro  

The man who accused billionaire Powerball winner Edwin Castro of stealing the $2.04 billion ticket could be charged with filing a false police report. 

Jose Rivera reported to the Pasadena Police Department that Castro ‘stole’ the winning ticket from him. 

Police and California Lottery investigators have tried to find out if a supposed crime took place, but now believe Rivera has lied about his claim.

City of Pasadena Public Information Officer Lisa Derderian told DailyMail.com the local police department had turned over the documentation to the City Prosecutor for potential misdemeanor charges for filing a false police report. 

Billionaire Powerball winner Edwin Castro was accused of stealing the winning ticket 

Jose Rivera claimed that his former landlord stole the ticket and gave it to Castro

If someone is convicted of filing a false police report in California they can face up to six months in jail, be find up to $1,000, and probation.

Rivera’s lawyer, Estela Richeda,  has fought hard for her client, telling The US Sun that she ‘personally’ went to the Pasadena Police station with Rivera to open the case against Castro. 

They waited there for two hours before they met with officers and insisted that they investigate the matter. 

Rivera claimed that the ticket was stolen by his former landlord ‘Reggie’, also known as Urachi F. Romero. 

Romero told The New York Post that he saw Rivera with the winning ticket on November 7, the same night he claimed to purchase it from Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, California.

He also claimed that he later received threats from Rivera but has insisted that he didn’t steal the ticket and that he doesn’t know Castro. 

After Rivera noticed he ‘misplaced’ the winning ticket, he rampaged through the house Romero was leasing out to him at the time in search of it. 

Romero says that he let him look through his personal items because he had ‘nothing to hide’. 

The landlord went on to take a video of Rivera in his room as he frantically dug through his drawers. 

Romero claimed that the ticket could’ve been taken from a friend who was present the night before the drawing. He added that that friend had a connection to Castro and his family.     

Castro hit headlines after winning the $2.04 billion prize back in November and has since gone on to spend his massive prize. 

After taxes, Castro was able  to claim his $997.6 million prize and bought his lavish pad just a month later, just after being sued by Rivera.

His 13,578-square-foot Hillside, California home comes equipped with a full outdoor kitchen, gym, wine cellar and infinity pool. 

The three-story property, which sits behind the iconic Chateau Marmont, holds five bedrooms and five bathrooms. 

It also features a movie theatre and sauna as well as two separate garages that can hold up to seven cars. 

Castro hit headlines after winning the $2.04 billion prize back in November and has since gone on to spend his massive prize

The pad was first listed back in July 2022 for $30 million but it appears Castro managed to shave $4.5 million off the headline price. 

Castro has largely tried to evade the spotlight after his record-breaking win and the on-going lawsuit. 

His lawyer, David De Paoli has said that his client did not steal the ticket, does not have a connection to Romero and is the rightful owner of the jackpot prize.

Paoli has told the The US Sun that the lawsuit is ‘baseless’ and that Rivera wont receive any compensation for it.  

The CCTV footage from the store still has to be obtained in order to prove who really bought the ticket at the store. 

Castro has laid low since all of the accusations, as the last time he talked about his winnings was at a press conference at the gas station he claimed the prize at. 

The most recent hearing stated that because the case was has taken such a sharp turn, the defendants will have to be served again. 

A case management hearing has been scheduled for February 27, 2024 after it was originally set to happen this month. 

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