Macomb County man accused of cheating investors out of $19 million to fuel gambling habit
By Associated Press
MACOMB CO. Mich. - A suburban Detroit man was charged Thursday with cheating investors out of $19 million to fuel his lottery habit.
Viktor Gjonaj, 43, was buying as much as $1 million in Daily 3 and Daily 4 Michigan lottery tickets every week, the government alleged.
Gjonaj was a well-respected businessman who unfortunately developed a gambling addiction that led to this situation, attorney Steve Fishman told The Detroit News. His addiction was well known to the state of Michigan which, nevertheless, allowed him to keep gambling.
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January 29, 2021
From the Associated Press A suburban Detroit man has been charged with cheating investors out of $19 million to fuel his lottery habit. Prosecutors say Viktor Gjonaj was buying as much as $1 million in Daily 3 and Daily 4 Michigan lottery tickets every week. Gjonaj is accused of using his experience as a real estate broker to persuade people to give him money for what he touted as lucrative property deals. Defense attorney Steve Fishman says Gjonaj was a businessman who developed a gambling addiction. The fraud charge was filed as a criminal information in federal court, which typically signals that a guilty plea is expected.
Troy investor spends $1 million of other people’s money each week to play lottery in failed fraud scheme
Viktor Gjonaj accused of losing $19 million of victims’ money
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Troy investor is accused of losing $19 million of other people’s money
in a scheme that involved tricking them into fake investment opportunities and spending more than $1 million per week on Michigan Lottery games.
Viktor Gjonaj, 43, was charged Thursday (Jan. 28) with one count of wire fraud.
Officials said the commercial real estate broker and investor devised a plan to take money from people by making promising them he would invest it in lucrative real estate deals.