Illegal alien from India working at a Miami convenience store stole over $300,000 in scratch-off lottery

The manager of a small convenience store in Miami's vibrant **Little Haiti** neighborhood has been arrested following allegations that he systematically stole **hundreds of thousands of dollars** worth of Florida Lottery scratch-off tickets over an extended period.

The suspect, 34-year-old Rakesh Tanguturi, who resides in the upscale Brickell area, was taken into custody on Monday at Bargain Stop Market II, located at 249 NW 62nd Street. He now faces two serious felony charges: organized scheme to defraud (involving $50,000 or more) and first-degree grand theft.

The scheme reportedly came to light in mid-January when the store owner began noticing irregularities in the business's finances. Around January 16, the owner discovered that thousands of dollars had been unexpectedly withdrawn from the store's bank account due to Florida Lottery-related transactions. This prompted a closer review of inventory, which revealed that multiple full books of scratch-off tickets—high-value packs containing numerous individual tickets—were missing. The owner reported the thefts to Miami police on January 23. Through an internal investigation and evidence review, the owner identified Tanguturi, who had been serving as the store manager, as the person responsible. According to the arrest report, when initially confronted by police, Tanguturi denied any involvement or wrongdoing. However, he later confessed via text message, admitting that he had taken entire books of scratch-off tickets, cashed them in for their value (by scratching off winning tickets or redeeming them through proper channels), and used the proceeds to cover personal expenses. Investigators determined that the total value of the stolen ticket books exceeded $300,000. Tanguturi had apparently begun repaying some of the money to the store owner—either by returning funds directly or through other means—reducing the confirmed net loss to approximately $60,000 (with some sources citing a precise figure of around $60,546.95 after accounting for redeemed winnings and partial recoveries). In his admissions, Tanguturi reportedly explained that his actions were driven by financial desperation. He claimed the thefts were motivated by the need to pay for medical care for his father in India, who was seriously ill at the time and has since passed away. He expressed remorse and requested a formal payment plan to repay the remaining balance owed to the store. A Florida Lottery investigator played a key role in confirming the fraud. The probe revealed that the stolen ticket books were being cashed in bulk at a single retailer—an unusual and suspicious pattern that strongly indicated fraudulent activity rather than normal customer redemptions. After the owner arranged for a replacement manager to take over operations, Miami police officers arrived at the store on Monday to place Tanguturi under arrest. As of Tuesday, Tanguturi remained in custody at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in Miami. He is being held on a $30,000 bond, and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer has also been placed on him, which could affect his status depending on his immigration background. The case highlights the vulnerabilities in retail environments where employees have access to high-value, easily redeemable items like lottery tickets, and it underscores how internal audits and cooperation with state lottery officials can help uncover such schemes.