Lottery Winner Blocked From Claiming Prize Due to Residency Status

Imagbe Ehizomwengie was overjoyed when he won 500,000 euros in an Italian scratch card lottery. But the Nigerian-born man could not collect his winnings -- because he did not have a residency permit. Ehizomwengie bought a Gratta e Vinci scratch card last October, saving money by selling handkerchiefs and asking for change at a supermarket in Turin. He told The Guardian he would occasionally buy a ticket hoping to "turn his luck around." When he discovered he had won, the excitement was short-lived. Without a residency permit, he could not open a bank account to receive the money. And without the money, he could not prove financial independence -- a requirement for applying for a permit in the first place. The man originally arrived in Italy in 2016 after a dangerous journey across the Mediterranean Sea. His initial residency application was rejected. As a workaround, he entrusted the winnings to a friend. But that friend then refused to hand over the money. Eventually, Ehizomwengie convinced the friend to transfer roughly half the amount to his cousin's bank account. With that money, he and his family bought a business and opened an African delicatessen store. After years of legal battles, the court of Ancona has now ruled in his favor, granting him both his residency permit and access to his full winnings. He plans to throw a big party to celebrate. "I want to work and keep both feet on the ground. I just want to live a normal life," he said.