Brade
“`html
The Texas Lottery Commission announced Monday that its Executive Director, RYAN MINDELL, has resigned. This development comes as the agency faces multiple investigations ordered by Governor GREG ABBOTT and State Attorney General KEN PAXTON into the integrity of lottery prizes and the handling of courier companies that facilitate online ticket purchases.
Lottery couriers, unregulated service providers, allow customers to order tickets online via websites or mobile apps. Upon receiving payment, these couriers send representatives to purchase tickets in person from licensed retailers. They then provide customers with scanned images of the tickets and retain the physical copies until the results are determined. Couriers charge a fee for this service, which has sparked controversy and scrutiny.
Governor ABBOTT has directed the Texas Rangers to investigate two high-profile lottery wins: an $83 million ticket sold in Austin in February and a $95 million ticket sold in Colleyville in April 2023. These investigations aim to ensure the transparency and legality of the lottery system.
In response to the allegations, the Coalition of Texas Lottery Couriers accused MINDELL of unfairly targeting courier companies to divert attention from the agency’s own questionable practices. The coalition stated that MINDELL’s resignation offers an opportunity to reassess the agency’s decisions and foster better collaboration between couriers and the Texas Lottery Commission.
SERGIO REY, the former Chief Financial Officer of the Texas Lottery Commission, has been appointed Acting Deputy Executive Director. The Commission’s board will discuss the selection process for a new Executive Director at its next open meeting on April 29.
Governor ABBOTT’s spokesman, ANDREW MAHALERIS, emphasized that the governor expects the Texas Lottery Commission to uphold the law and maintain public trust, regardless of leadership changes.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sources:
[FOX News Digital](https://www.foxnews.com)
[FOX 7 Austin](https://www.fox7austin.com)
[The Associated Press](https://apnews.com)
“`
