SCOTTSDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — A former Scottsdale Circle K manager has filed a formal response to a lawsuit over a $12.8 million Arizona Lottery jackpot, claiming the company enforced a policy requiring employees to purchase leftover lottery tickets and only challenged his ownership of the winning ticket after learning its value.
Robert Gawlitza and Marline Ybarra, a former co-worker, were set to split the winnings 50-50. The dispute stems from an incident last November, when a customer left behind 25 lottery tickets after purchasing only part of an $85 order at a Circle K at 56th Street and Bell Road.
Employee says he followed company policy
Gawlitza’s attorney, Josh Kolsrud, said Circle K had an unofficial policy requiring employees to buy accidentally printed lottery tickets valued over $20 — a measure used to penalize workers for the accidental prints. Kolsrud said Gawlitza followed that policy, purchasing the ticket while clocked out and receiving a receipt.
“The bottom line here is he bought the tickets. He paid for them, obviously,” Kolsrud said. “He got a receipt. It was rung up by a Circle K employee on duty.”…