Chicago woman wanted in scam involving fake $2 million lottery ticket: prosecutors

CHICAGO - An arrest warrant was issued for a Chicago woman accused of stealing thousands of dollars from someone in Kane County on the false promise of sharing the proceeds of a fake $2 million lottery ticket.

Janet Cruz, of Albany Park on the Northwest Side, was charged with a felony count of theft by deception, the Kane County state’s attorney’s office said in a statement.

Cruz, 49, allegedly approached her victim on Aug. 8 in Batavia and claimed to have a winning lottery ticket she could not collect because she lacked proper identification, prosecutors said. A man nearby offered to help, but prosecutors said he was Cruz’s accomplice.

In the victim’s presence, Cruz allegedly called someone she claimed worked for the lottery, prosecutors said. The person said the ticket was worth $2 million and Cruz would need two witnesses to cash it.

Cruz allegedly said the witnesses would need to provide $20,000 each since she did not have proper ID, prosecutors said. She allegedly offered them both $100,00 each for their help.

The trio drove to two Batavia banks, where the victim withdrew $5,000 total, prosecutors said. Cruz left with the money and didn’t return, according to prosecutors said.

A Kane County judge issued Cruz’s arrest warrant on Monday, and set her bail to $40,000, prosecutors said.

She is also wanted on two Cook County warrant on theft by deception charges stemming from 2009 and 2010, according to county records.