Broward postal worker accused of stealing winning lottery ticket, claiming prize

A Broward County postal employee faced felony charges after investigators said she stole a winning Florida Lottery ticket from the mail and claimed the $2,600 prize herself. Authorities identified the U.S. Postal Service letter carrier as Lekaysha Lockhart and said she was arrested July 23.

Investigators said the case came together through a joint effort by the Florida Lottery Division of Security and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. The ticket was later fraudulently cashed at the Florida Lottery’s Miami District Office, turning a piece of ordinary mail into a criminal case with implications for both postal security and public confidence in state prize claims.

The allegation lands in a sensitive area for Broward and South Florida residents who depend on the mail for checks, bills and official documents. The Florida Lottery says its integrity function is built to protect the fairness of prize claims, and cases involving stolen tickets or fraudulent payouts are treated as serious offenses because they can undermine both the winner and the system that verifies prizes.

Residents who expect mail, checks or lottery-related documents and think something has gone missing can start with the U.S. Postal Service’s missing mail tools and customer service line at 1-800-ASK-USPS, or 1-800-275-8777. Mail problems can also be reported to the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General when the concern involves possible employee misconduct or theft. For lottery-related fraud or prize disputes, the Florida Lottery’s Division of Security handles complaints, and the agency’s contact and complaint pages are the place to file them directly.

The Broward case also fits a broader Florida pattern. In June, a DeLand Walmart cashier was arrested after investigators said she hid a receipt tied to a $2,700 winning Florida Lottery ticket belonging to an elderly customer. Together, the cases show how quickly a winning ticket can become evidence when mail handling or prize processing breaks down.